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Media Release: "FCC Must Allow Private Companies to Manage Their Own Networks"

Publication Type: Other Voices
Date: 2/13/2008

The Institute for Policy Innovation (IPI) filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – in response to a "Notice of Inquiry" regarding broadband industry practices – which argues that private network companies must have the freedom to experiment with their own business models.

In a media release about the comments headlined "FCC Must Allow Private Companies to Manage Their Own Networks," IPI outlines the need for bandwidth management and asserts that the best managers of networks are private companies and not the government.

Management is a necessary part of the efficient and effective function of any network, whether that is for electricity, water or broadband. Broadband networks are managed for myriad reasons—faster Internet connections, efficient data delivery, fighting spam, preventing phishing, etc. These management processes greatly benefit consumers and go largely unnoticed—yet a lack of management will noticeably harm consumers.

Furthermore, said IPI, any requirement to disclose specific network techniques is also harmful to the consumer, as it could provide avenues for spammers, creators of viruses, etc. to circumvent network management and cause greater damage.

The Institute for Policy Innovation is a non-profit public policy organization based in Dallas, TX.

Related Issues

Issue Brief(s): Network Management