Separation of Application from Access -- a policy decision

During the last couple of years, I have been working with how much control an access provider can have on what services are possible to use for their customer. How much is “good for the consumer”. How much before it has impact on competition and innovation.

I have made numerous presentations and public statements on this, backed up by the work I made as a member of the Swedish Government IT Policy and Strategy Group, part from the work I do in the IETF and ISOC.

The Swedish Government has during the last couple of years made statements that I think people now should understand. “Connecting the dots” is not that hard. But it seems some people just still do not get it.

Let me list a couple of examples:

PTS (the regulator for this area) was in April 2007 asked to check whether a vertical separation of the incumbent Telia was possible. It was to be reported back as soon as June 15. Today PTS report is released and it states it is possible. Not only the tim between request and result gives some information on the political interest, but also the short time PTS had to create the report.

A new legislation (En effektivare lag om elektronisk kommunikation).

The minister Åsa Torstensson has at several occasions talked about labeling of broadband products. You can see me writing about it in my blog earlier. You can also have a look at a presentation I am passing around in which I try to add relevant data.