What are people thinking?

In yesterdays Computer Sweden related to broadband issues.

First of all, the report from the regulator PTS about separation of Telia in multiple parts (like the separation of BT in the UK):

PTS press release: Telia Sonera ska kunna bli skyldigt att lägga det fasta accessnätet i en separat enhet inom bolaget. Det är innebörden i det förslag till lagändring som PTS tagit fram på regeringens uppdrag och idag lämnar till regeringen. PTS report: Bättre bredbandskonkurrens genom funktionell separation - Lagförslag för icke-diskriminering och insyn i accessnätet

The situation today is (as I have said before) that Competition and Innovation are two very important features of the market. And that must be true also for broadband services. Specifically, the government(s) in the world is looking at the role an access provider has. When is an access provider doing things that place them in a situation where they are too much in control of what applications their customer can use?

In the article we see comments from Telia and ComHem:

Telia: Jag tror att vi får se två världar. Det kommer att finnas ett stort utbud av enkla internetbaserade tjänster, som till exempel Skype, och mer avancerade från operatörerna där du som användare kan få olika tjänster och terminaler att samverka på ett säkert sätt, säger Telias nätchef Ove Alm.

Is Skype a simple service? I have not seen anything even close to Skype from any provider. Works behind NAT, all over the world, one just need Internet access. It just works. That is not simple to me.

ComHem: Det är inte vår strategi. Vi ser tvärtom att vi kan få in både fler tjänster och fler leverantörer i vårt nät, säger Martin Kull, teknisk chef på Com Hem, som också ska prata om ims på Von

But, but…if there are no blocking, all Internet based services are already available in their network.

My view is that this is legitimate: Your access provider may prefer you to use - and pay for - any additional services from them

While this may NOT be legitimate: They may then define, build and operate their network to artificially constrain your choices

Finally, I want to let you see a quote that is a few years old, by the State Secretary Jonas Bjelfvenstam (in the previous Government):

The ultimate goal is that the user, independent of location and time, must be able to access the services she or he wishes, without being hindered by blocks created by business, technical, or regulative reasons. This vision of the user’s ubiquitous access requires convergence when looking at services, equipment and networks.? ?The impression, though, is that this convergence process is slow, and is hindered by traditional business models.