Today, the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative, Media Access Project, Benton Foundation, Center for Media Justice, Consumers Union, and Public Knowledge (Public Interest Commenters) responded to FCC's request for comment on “Specialized Services” and wireless open Internet rules. Continuing technical and policy justifications from the FCC's consultation on preserving the Open Internet, the Public Interest Commenters demonstrate that wireless networks are not “under-developed” and carrier practices create the need for the protection of end-user freedoms.
“We must change the current status quo to overcome barriers for Internet and application innovation erected by both mobile device restrictions and by the provider's restrictive practices,” states Dan Meredith, Technologist for OTI. “Our submitted comments provide the FCC with a glide path to ensure the consumer protections and competition stimulants that exist in the wireline device market thanks to Carterfone ruling are also available to the wireless device market.”
Additionally, OTI has published a follow-up to the T-Mobile HTC G2 phone with Google controversy that began with a blog post on Tuesday, October 5 documenting a “feature” of the device that creates a new barrier to legal software modifications. Details on the G2 have emerged, including a statement from T-Mobile, indicating a clear need for consumer protections in the wireless Internet space.
"Mobile operators are blocking services and applications on their networks by actively preventing cell phone owners from installing the operating system of their choice -- a business practice that directly undermines the core principles of the FCC," stated Sascha Meinrath, Director of the New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative. "FCC Chairman Genachowski has said that he is very concerned about the woeful state of innovation in the United States -- as we have documented, he now has the opportunity to prevent a widespread business practice that is highly anti-innovation."
"The FCC must be established that wireless and wireline networks do not require significantly different management practices at the network layer and above," adds Joshua King, Technologist with OTI. "Our comments describe how technological trends are indicating that both kinds of infrastructure are converging, and that we must close the wireless loophole that threatens to create two separate Internets."
Comments on “Specialized Services” and Wireless Open Internet Rules can be viewed at: http://oti.newamerica.net/publications/policy/fcc_comments_on_specialized_services_and_wireless_open_internet_rules.
The post Mobile Devices are Increasingly Locked Down and Controlled by the Carriers: How Cell Phone “Customization” Undermines End-Users by Redefining Ownership is available here: http://oti.newamerica.net/blogposts./2010/mobile_devices_are_increasingly_locked_down_and_controlled_by_the_carriers-38418.
Please contact Kate Brown with media requests at 202-596-3365 or brown@newamerica.net.
