Net neutrality: Wireless should be looked at through a different lens

[Commentary] With the US Federal Appeals Court ruling earlier in June, it looks like network neutrality is here to stay, at least for now. Much ink has been spilled on both sides of this debate, but I’d like to weigh in on the wireless angle. Part of what was affirmed in the ruling is that wireless broadband fits under the same rules as fixed broadband, and wireless users "don’t see the difference." In fact, the practice of "zero rating" is coming under fire, and might end up being the first test case of the Federal Communications Commission applying net neutrality rules to wireless. This tells me that, as net neutrality heads toward even more appeals and potentially to the Supreme Court, we need to urge that wireless be looked at through a different lens.

What has changed since the net neutrality discussions started in earnest in 2009 is that wireless network performance is broadband-esque. A good LTE connection with all cylinders firing — wide channel, carrier aggregation, advanced MIMO — offers an experience comparable to middle-of-the-road fixed broadband service. But the economics are fundamentally different. If network neutrality heads to further appeals, as appears likely, I believe the idea of treating wireless differently should be rekindled.

[Mark Lowenstein is the managing director of Mobile Ecosystem and recently a member of the senior leadership team at Verizon Wireless]