The nation’s wireless carriers are caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to net neutrality. When net-neutrality proponents make passionate cries for a “free and open” Internet, it’s hard to answer with logic and pragmatism-yet that’s exactly what wireless carriers will have to do if the debate ever lands on their doorstep.
So far, they haven’t had to worry too much about it. Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and Verizon Wireless have sat by quietly while their wireline parents take the heat over net neutrality. Indeed, while wireless carriers obviously and blatantly trample the ideals of a neutral Internet, legislators seem keen to focus instead on whether wireline operators have been blocking or degrading access to various Web sites.
Nonetheless, legislation on net neutrality could become an issue for the entire wireless industry-spanning from cellular to WiMAX.
Consider: Verizon Wireless has a policy to block Voice over Internet Protocol calls over its CDMA EV-DO network. And pre-WiMAX carrier Clearwire Corp. set up a similar block until it began offering its own VoIP services.
If this doesn’t get to the heart of Internet neutrality, I don’t know what does.
But there’s a good excuse for these sorts of limitations: VoIP could blow out Verizon Wireless’ or Clearwire’s network. It’s not hard to imagine VoIP callers overloading one of Verizon Wireless’ towers, thereby affecting service for every customer within range. Do the desires of the tech-savvy few outweigh the needs of the cell-phone-toting many?
Really, wireless carriers don’t want to be the bad guys. After all, they’re collectively spending literally billions of dollars to offer high-speed data access across vast stretches of the country. A serious net neutrality bill could, in one fell swoop, call that investment into question. Would that benefit consumers?
Unfortunately, the net neutrality question becomes thornier when you consider it from the business-model perspective. A Verizon executive recently said that Google is getting a “free lunch” because it is using the carrier’s wireline network-which Verizon has spent billions deploying-to offer its services to end users. So, by that rationale, shouldn’t Google pay carriers to carry its services through to the user?
In the wireless realm, this same argument could push wireless operators to block access to off-deck content sales. After all, off-deck content vendors are making money off networks they didn’t build.
Now, does this approach ultimately benefit the American consumer? Should the desires of network owners trump the needs and wants of end users? It’s a question those in Washington will have to face if true net neutrality legislation ever winds its way through Congress.
