December 6, 2004

The New York Times > Business > Business Special > Telecom: 8-Year-Old Basic Law May Be Outdated Already

Not surprising that the hodge-podge of law and subsequent regulatory rules and legal challenges brings us to the point that some think new law is required. The reality is that technology, companies to exploit it with new services will always be out ahead of any detailed legal and regulatory framework.

I favor Congress doing as little as necessary to protect the public good while letting the marketplace run with the technology. The real issues remain how to minimize or eliminate the cross subsidies in the industry while assuring that any that remain are fair to incumbents and newcomers alike. This is not an easy task given the monopoly legacy of the telecom business.

The mantra should be: "Keep your subsidies and taxes off my wireless and internet, please!"

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