5688 The fact that Google and Verizon felt that they needed to huddle together to secretly craft an Internet plan that we might all want to follow is - frankly - insulting. Evidently, I missed the meeting at which the these two behemoths formally became "The Internet". Now that I know, at least we can stop working so damn hard around here. Hey, last one out of the datacenter please lock the doors and turn out the lights and the edge routers. Google and Verizon have it all covered.

I won't go into the details of the Google/Verizon joint policy statement. Its all over the Net since being released. Feel free to read it at any time. The most maddening thing about the whole affair in my eyes is the assertion that wireless networks should be exempt from net neutrality principles. According to Verizon, there's plenty of competition in the wireless space so there's no need to start regulating how wireless carriers manipulate packets. Competition? Seriously? Lets take a look.

There were 285.6 million wireless subscribers in the US as of December 2009. Verizon and AT&T control a full 64% of the market. Add Sprint and T-Mobile, and you get four companies that control over 92% of the wireless market in the United States. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_network_operators_of_the_Americas...) Keep in mind that many industry analysts fail to see how Sprint and T-Mobile can survive over the long run competing against the big two. Its not out of the question for us to wind up with exactly TWO wireless carriers in this country by the year 2020.

Does that look like competition to you?

The other interesting issue is that since Verizon says that no wireless regulation is needed because there's enough competition, does that mean that they're accepting and admitting that competition in wireline services is dead? That would make me chuckle because both Verizon and AT&T still spend quite a bit of time whining about how those evil unregulated cable companies have an unfair competitive advantage over them when it comes to voice, video and data services. It sounds to me like now that those annoying CLECs are out of the picture, Verizon is willing to sacrifice wireline services in order to keep the FCC out of its hair when it comes to wireless. Why? Because it would not surprise me if Verizon's very long term plans involve the methodical phasing out of wireline services over the next 20 years or so. As wireless technology advances, we will be seeing gigabit connections on our mobile devices. Who needs cables any more at that point? If I'm running Verizon, I'm more than happy to let the FCC have its illusion of control over wired services, and more than happy to let the MSOs strangle themselves with fiber and coaxial cable knowing that in the end, I'm going to control the whole ball of microwave wax.

Oh, and there is also that little provision in the Google/Verizon statement that exempts a carrier's own services from regulation. In other words, when a carrier introduces its own information services that also have to ride on the pipes, it should be free to do whatever it needs to do to make those services work without worrying about that pesky FCC. Wow. So Verizon should be free to rig its own VoIP packets so be sure that the service works, but Skype and Vonage don't get the same benefits? Unless I'm missing something, this is exactly what net neutrality principles are supposed to protect against. What exactly are Google and Verizon willing to accept from the FCC? Some token rules that stop them from selling faster transit to the highest bidder? Great, but that by itself does NOTHING to protect consumers, especially when there's absolutely nothing to stop Verizon from buying Blockbuster Video (for pennies, I might add) and instantly making that VOD streaming service faster than Netflix. After all, Verizon would own the service, so that would exempt it from any regulation.

In the end, I have to conclude that Google and Verizon have decided that they're simply above the fray, indispensable, irreplaceable, indestructible and beyond regulation. Unstoppable juggernauts with the right to decide what's best for all of us. Their joint policy statement is an insult to the intelligence of the Internet community at-large. The thing is absolutely dripping with corporate arrogance, the kind of sickening hubris that often ignites revolutions (put down your pitchforks folks, I'm not telling you to storm the Bastille).

I do have to give kudos to FCC chairman Genachowski for having the cojones to make a public statement declaring that its really not up to Google and Verizon how the Internet gets regulated or not. After years of watching the Commission roll over at the bequest of the big telcos and MSOs, this was a nice change of pace. We can only hope that the debate over net neutrality will continue and that our government will actually look out for the best interests of the masses. Google and Verizon have every right to participate in the debate. They have no right to dictate terms.

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