Annenberg Center Releases Principles for Network Neutrality

ANNENBERG CENTER RELEASES PRINCIPLES FOR NETWORK NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: Annenberg Center for Communication at the University of Southern California]
The goal of the Annenberg Center Principles for Network Neutrality is to provide a simple, clear set of guidelines addressing the public Internet markets for broadband access. 1. Operators and Customers Both Should Win: It is important to encourage network infrastructure investment by enabling operators to benefit from their investments. It also is important to ensure that customers have the option of unrestricted access to services and content on the global public Internet. 2. Light Touch Regulation: Any regulation should be defined and administered on a nationally uniform basis with a light touch. Regulations should be aimed primarily at markets in which it has been demonstrated that operators possess significant market power. The emphasis should be on prompt enforcement of general principles of competition policy, not detailed regulation of conduct in telecommunications markets. 3. Basic Access Broadband: Broadband network operators should provide "Basic Access Broadband," a meaningful, neutral Internet connectivity service.* Beyond providing this level of service, operators would be free to determine all service parameters, including performance, pricing, and the prioritization of 3rd party traffic. 4. Transparency: Customers should receive clear, understandable terms and conditions of service explaining how any network operator, Internet service provider or Internet content provider will use their personal information and prioritize or otherwise control content that reaches them. 5. Encouraging Competitive Entry: Government policy should encourage competitive entry and technological innovation in broadband access markets in order to help achieve effective network competition and make available high speed Internet access to the largest number of customers.
http://www.annenberg.edu/news/news.php?id=13