Moving the debate from open access to network neutrality: US lessons for Australia

摘要

Against the backdrop of the Rudd government's 2007 election promise for a national wholesale broadbandnnetwork to be operated under open access principles, this paper explores how the debate in the UnitednStates of America for 'open access' fell by the wayside by 2002/03 and was replaced by strident calls forn'network neutrality'. It analyses why this change of emphasis arose and how the opposing sides in thendebate have taken network neutrality to mean whatever supports their case. The paper discusses possiblenlessons impacting on the evolving debate in Australia over the most appropriate regulatory regime under-npinning the government's 2009 vision for this national wholesale broadband network to now be state-ncontrolled.