[2661] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Request for Assistance
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Mitch Kapor)
Sun Apr 5 09:57:00 1992
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 1992 09:55:48 -0400
To: com-priv@psi.com
From: mkapor@eff.org (Mitch Kapor)
Request for assistance:
I am interested in developing a better understanding of the economics of
interchange ("settlements") between networking carriers on the Internet.
There has been much casual, sometimes heated, conversation on the subject
but I have not seen anything yet which persuades me that we even have the
basic Internet settlements problem well-framed, much less that any workable
model is at hand. Further, given the uneven movement from subsidized to
self-supporting networks, it becomes even harder to imagine which set of
arrangements approaches economic efficiency. (This is a principal reason
why the CIX has adopted a "no settlements" policy for now.)
Nonetheless, it is becoming apparent (to me, at least) that the entire
community needs to have a principled way to make sure, in a world of
interconnected carriers, that no party unfairly bears costs. As an initial
step, I would greatly appreciate pointers to experts, organizations, and
printed matter on the logic and practice of settlements in telephone
networks, electronic funds transfer systems, EDI, or other in
infrastructures, as well as generally relevant material from economics.
Material of a tutorial or general background nature is preferred.
Thanks.
Mitch Kapor mkapor@eff.org
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Chairman, Commercial Internet Exchange
(affiliations for purposes of identification only)
