Darrell West spoke with Bloomberg’s Julie Hyman and Mark Crumpton on the recent Verizon-Google joint policy proposal on handling Internet traffic-
JULIE HYMAN: Google and Verizon making a proposal that would make the FCC’s wire line broadband openness principles fully enforceable at the FCC. In fact, enforceable Mark, with a $2 million dollar fine.
MARK CRUMPTON: That’s right, Google and Verizon saying they support the FCC’s current broadband openness rules and Google and Verizon proposing broadband providers offer new services. Joining us on the phone is Darrell West of the Brookings Institution. Mr. West, welcome to Bloomberg News, thank you so much for joining us this afternoon.
DARRELL WEST: Thank you.
CRUMPTON: We were wondering if we can get your initial thoughts on what Google and Verizon have been reporting today.
WEST: Well, it certainly is a tidal wave in terms of technology policy because previously Google has been a very strong supporter of net neutrality and openness on the Internet. Now, with this agreement, they seemed to be poised to allow tier-pricing of Internet services and so, really for the very first time, that will open up the possibility of creating different prices for different applications over the Internet.
Commentary
Net Neutrality and The Google-Verizon Plan
August 9, 2010