FCC rejects Skype plea to apply Carterfone to wireless networks

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

________________________________________
From: Stan Hanks [stan () colventures com]
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 1:46 PM
To: David Farber
Subject: FCC rejects Skype plea to apply Carterfone to wireless networks

FCC chairman rejects Skype petition

By PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology WriterTue Apr 1, 4:08 PM ET

The Federal Communications Commission should reject a petition by eBay Inc.'s Skype division to require wireless 
operators to allow any device on their networks, the agency's chairman said Tuesday.

To applause, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin told an audience at the CTIA Wireless trade show that the industry's recent push 
toward openness makes such a rule unnecessary.

Skype, which provides free voice calls and videoconferencing over Internet connections, asked the commission in 
February 2007 to apply the 1968 Carterfone decision to wireless networks. The decision opened AT&T's wireline network 
to phones not made by the monopoly phone company.

Martin cited Verizon Wireless' decision to open its network to any device or application by the end of this year, and 
the participation by T-Mobile USA and Sprint Nextel Corp. in Google Inc.'s Open Handset Alliance, which is developing 
new software for phones.

"In light of the industry's embrace of this more open approach, I think it's premature for the commission to place any 
other requirements on these networks," Martin said. "Today I'm going to circulate to my fellow commissioners an order 
dismissing the petition by Skype that would apply Carterfone requirements to existing wireless networks."

EBay said it was disappointed in Martin's statement.

Recent industry changes were positive, but incomplete, the company said Tuesday. The petition was meant to protect 
consumers' rights "to use any application and any device on a wireless network," eBay said in a statement.

"While we are cautiously optimistic that the carriers will deliver greater openness, unfortunately, if the FCC acts on 
the chairman's recommendation, it will have given up the tools to protect consumers if they do not," said Christopher 
Libertelli, a director of government affairs for Skype.

Martin's order would need the support of two other commissioners to take effect, support that's likely to come from the 
two Republican appointees.

Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps criticized the chairman's move.

"This is not the time for the FCC to declare victory and withdraw from the fight for open wireless networks," Copps 
said in a statement. "While we are all encouraged by preliminary commitments from some of the major carriers, we 
haven't seen the details yet on how they are going to proceed — and the devil is always in the details, isn't it?"

The FCC did apply open-access requirements to a segment of the 700 megahertz spectrum it recently auctioned for a total 
of $19.6 billion. Verizon Wireless bought most of the airwaves set off for open access.

Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be 
published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

-------------------------------------------
Archives: http://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now
RSS Feed: http://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/
Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com