[817] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
My views on ANS
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (mkapor@eff.org)
Sat Jun 8 14:20:50 1991
Date: Sat, 8 Jun 91 14:16:45 -0400
To: com-priv@uu.psi.com
From: mkapor@eff.org
These are policy recommendations adopted from an as yet unpublished paper
"Building the Open Road" which address free speech and free enterprise
policy issues. The paper is approximately 50K so I haven't posted it,
although I will be happy to send individual copies on request. Or if the
list maintainer thinks it's ok to post a 50K message, I'll do it.
My basic approach:
Create a level and competitive playing field for private network carriers,
both for-profit and not-for-profit to compete. Do not give a monopoly to
any carrier. Any user should be able to reach any other user, without
fear of being cut off or overcharged because their particular carrier is
blackballed by a powerful monopoly or oligopoly. The Internet/NREN must
be allowed to grow without being dominated by any single company.
Some formal affirmation of fair access is needed to forestall a costly,
wasteful crazy-quilt of new regulations from the FCC and 50 State Public
Utilities Commissions.) ANS, PSI, Alternet, and all regionals should
agree upon a "basket" of standard services -- including messaging,
directories, international connections, access to information providers,
billing, and probably more -- that are guaranteed for universal
interconnection. Work must be done to determine settlement of accounts in
which network traffic crosses between different carriers. The NSF should
use both carrot and stick to encourage as much interconnection as possible.
In this context, I would hope that ANS moves speedily to disclose its plans
for interconnection with the CIX-member firms and with mid-level networks.
I would hope these plans would be consistent with the principles I have
outlined above. I expressed this to Al Weis shortly after last week's
announcement.
Commercial internetworking is an infant industry. I would hope that the
early players remember that there ought to be cooperative as well as
competitive elements in their relationships with each other.
Mitch Kapor
