ISPs in the UK are acting sensibly without the need for net neutrality regulation, according to incumbent BT’s director of strategy and policy, Olivia Garfield.
In a letter sent to the FT, Garfield argued “there is no evidence of consumer harm resulting…
ISPs in the UK are acting sensibly without the need for net neutrality regulation, according to incumbent BT’s director of strategy and policy, Olivia Garfield.
In a letter sent to the FT, Garfield argued “there is no evidence of consumer harm resulting from the current commercial freedom available to ISPs and content providers alike to do deals in which certain traffic is prioritised”.
Her comments follow a call to the government from major internet companies, including VoIP provider Skype, to enshrine the principals of an open internet in new laws.
The debate on how the government should regulate net neutrality was reignited on 17 November when Ed Vaizey, communications minister, said ISPs should be allowed to have flexibility in their business models to support competition.
The comments led many to warn the government was open to the idea of a two tier network system, where fees could be charged for better access to networks.
Jean-Jacques Sahel, Skype’s director of government and regulatory affairs (EMEA), branded such a move as a “tax on innovation”, and questioned how ISPs could take fees from international users of UK content.
A BT spokesman told TelecomFinance that because the UK has more than 200 ISPs, consumers could simply “vote with their wallet” if they judge a provider to be charging unfairly.
