Peering/Interconnection on the Internet as a Telecom Carrier

Mon May 5 14:00:33 UTC 1997

> I am a proponent of some level of regulation in the Internet as soon as 
> possible.  I think this minimal level of regulation is critical to the 
> Internets open and unrestricted development. 

David - Is not regulation and unrestricted development at odds? The  
communications Act of 1996 is an attempt to remove restrictions put in 
place in 1934.

The history of the telephone is an excellent of example of why not to 
regulate. The 40-years after 1934 was a Tellecommunications dark-age. 
Little innovation, diversity of service or choice. 

The Internet industry is too young to keep stagnet and survive in a 
competitive world market.

> As an entrepreneur and a professional in this industry, I urge some 
> minimal level of immediate regulation such that the application of 
> accepted telecommunications law and practices are upheld. 

Are the accepted telecommunications law and practices such a good 
thing to uphold? 

> If they are not, I fear we will suffer the consequences of the
> accumulation of all the economic power over the Internet in to a very
> small number of hands. To me this is a very big problem, perhaps one even
> worth losing your job over.

David, you stood up for what you believe in and I have a great amount of 
respect for that. 

Perhaps in a few years we can look back when UUNET and a few others have 
put all the other ISP's out of business, and wonder why somthing was not 
done. You have a major battle to fight to convince people of  that fact, 
and if you can, the rest will fall in place. I personally do not agree 
that it will happen as I am a great believer in the free markets ability 
to self-heal. After all, its just people, and no one likes a company 
that doesnt play fair.

.stb