"Net Neutrality" is a very heated and contested US policy principle regarding access for content providers to the Internet end-user and potential discrimination in that access where the end-user's ISP (or another ISP) blocks that access in part or whole.1 Net neutrality has been variously defined, most prominently by regard to its forerunner "open access" by legal theorists Lemley and Lessig (2001), and the term "Network Neutrality" was first used by Wu (2003). However, net neutrality's definition is contested, and I unpack the definition later in this article. The previous policy reform suggestions have been that the problem can be resolved by either introducing greater inter-ISP competition2 or closely policing conditions for vertically integrated service, such as VOIP. This assumes that competition in the local loop or last mile to the end-user subscriber provides a choice of platform, and therefore rigorous telecoms competition regulation resolves the issue in Europe.
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