A Co-Regulatory Approach to Reasonable Network Management

Abstract:     
The author proposes that the FCC support the creation of an independent body under its supervision, composed of all stakeholders in the debate over “network neutrality” and “reasonable network management” to set and enforce norms and rules (co-regulation) related to traffic and content management issues. This proposal is grounded in the FCC’s authority under Section 201(b) of the Communications Act. This proposal is positioned as a middle-ground between no regulation and excessive regulation, to avert a bandwidth “tragedy of the commons.”

Number of Pages in PDF File: 19

Keywords: Network Neutrality, Tragedy of the Commons, ISP, CAP, Content and Application Provider, Comcast, FCC, Federal Communications Commission, Neutral Network, Coregulation, Internet

JEL Classification: O38, O30, O33

Accepted Paper Series