Phoenix Center president Lawrence Spiwak has a good and concise column on Internet regulation and competition up on CNet:
When it comes to updating our telecom laws, we have taken our proverbial eyes off the prize.
We should be focusing on franchise reform, which would remove (in the Federal Communication Commission’s own words) the “most important policy-relevant barrier to entry” for video and broadband competition and finally get the “twin titans” of the cable companies and the phone companies to duke it out.
Instead, we’re becoming sidetracked by a hasty push for stringent legislation to remedy the undefined concept of Net neutrality, without careful analysis of the possible consequences.
I think neutrality regulations are unlikely to pass because they’re too hysterical even for Washington. But if they do, there will be no alternative to cable Internet access but wireless.
H/T Kung Fu Quip.