Kevin Martin

What strings on a broadband buildout stimulus package?

Doug Mohney — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:20:07 -0500

There's a lot of short-sighted glee in the prospects of money for broadband buildouts across America. The money would be part of an economic stimulus package, but all parties better step back and think long and hard as to the consequences here.

With strings being attached to the financial sector bailout and the in-process auto manufacturing bridge-loan bailout, it's hard to see a scenario where federal dollars are offered without some clear performance criteria in exchange. And maybe some other kickers.

And what would those criteria be, hmm? This would be a fun question to ask Kevin Werbach, but since he's hunkered down at the FCC looking at the skeletons in Kevin Martin's closet, I'm going to have to speculate on my own.

Widening out broadband reach is an obvious goal, so expanding the reach of networks beyond their initial build-outs sounds reasonable. However, you want to have a sustainable business model - not a black hole for more money - once a buildout is complete. No sense in building a broadband bridge to nowhere.

Accelerating builds may be another option to examine. Verizon's FiOS builds in Washington D.C. and Philadelphia are currently projected to take around seven years, with the most economically sustainable (i.e. profitable) areas being built first. This is just good business sense; if you can't make a profit, you can't afford future investments. Can providing a one-time lump sum cut the build time in half? It's an interesting question.

Will a pledge to Net Neutrality be required? Or no bandwidth caps? Suddenly, federal money might look a little radioactive.

Expect to see a lot of sustained lobbying from the telcos in the coming months. They'll want to get as much cash as they can without a lot of strings attached, but I can't see the incoming Obama administration providing a free lunch for anyone.

- Doug

FCC Chairman says no to Skype, forced open access

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 07:59:55 -0400

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin told CTIA conventioneers this week he'll oppose a Skype petition to open up existing wireless carrier networks to outside devices because the industry already is working toward that goal. "In light of the industry's embrace of this more open approach, I think it's premature for the commission to place any other requirements on these networks," Martin told the audience.

Skype was looking for a "Carterphone" regulation to force mobile operators to connect any device that doesn't harm the network. Martin said he was working to balance the needs of device makers and operators. Skype is currently banned on most networks.

Granted, recent statements from Verizon Wireless that it would open its network to outside devices may sound like movement forward, but the company's caveat "as long as" (device and apps meet their certification process) puts a bit of a damper on any outward exuberance among VoIP providers.

For more on Skype's stumble:
- read FierceWireless' story on the Chairman's remarks Article
- Read the InformationWeek story
- Skype responds to FCC Chairman Martin's keynote remarks
- check out CTIA Live's photos from Martin's keynote

Related articles:
Verizon details open network agenda
Is 'open network' just marketing hype?

FCC targets transparency for network management

Tom Burton — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:59:54 -0400

The FCC's Kevin Martin has given his strongest indication the commission will establish guidelines for consumer disclosure as its remedy for providers who actively managed their networks. In so doing he seems to have rejected calls by the net neutrality lobby to bar ISPs from intervening in their networks.

Speaking to a Stanford law seminar Martin said: "One of the most important and one of the most troubling aspects of the complaints in front of us is that at first the network operator (Comcast) denied that they were engaged in this kind of a practice publicly. The challenge is to find a balance to where the Commission should act," said Martin. "It shouldn't be inherently partisan," he added in reference to what he called extremist views in both the Republican (no regulation) and Democratic (excessive regulation) camps.

Martin said the Comcast case was "an opportunity to demonstrate we will enforce (reasonable access) principles and allow innovation to occur. I have testified that I'm ready, willing and able to act, and I think that's what we're doing."

He said in 2005, the FCC endorsed four basic rights of Internet end users: end users have the right to access content; run applications and services; connect devices to the network; and to expect competition among network, application, service and content providers.

"The FCC hasn't said whether (ISPs) can have a fast lane versus a slow lane," said Martin. "The Commission hasn't spoken to that. To the extent you are asserting network management as a defense against the four principles, all the applications have to be treated the same, or it's truly not about network management but about arbitrary blocking."

Comcast has strongly defended its right to manage its network to avoid congestion so as to ensure VoIP and other advanced IP services are not impaired by P2P networks. In some European countries it has been estimated five per cent of users are using Bit Torrent applications to consume 80 percent of the bandwidth.

For more:
FCC looking for balance in Comcast network hearing Article
Martin troubled by Comcast Article

Related articles:
Comcast defends network management Article
NBC to use P2P to deliver video Report
EU invests $22 billion into P2P Article

No Comcast 'do-over,' says Martin

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 06:59:55 -0500

There will be no "do-over" of the infamous Harvard network-throttling meeting during his trip to Palo Alto to speak at a Stanford law school conference, FCC Kevin Martin has told reporters. Nor was Martin proposing to investigate Comcast's hiring of seat warmers ahead of the Harvard meeting. "It's usually more interesting for people to attend on their own without being paid to do so, but we're not investigating anything," Martin said.

Comcast admitted to hiring people to take up seats at last week's Harvard hearing because it feared the audience was going to be stacked with Comcast protesters. Some of the seats were then filled by local Comcast employees. Some of the remaining seat warmers were then caught sleeping at the standing-room-only hearing.

Martin said the FCC learned from the hearing and remained open to another hearing. The hearing is considering a complaint from P2P operator Vuze that Comcast blocked their traffic. Comcast has admitted blocking P2P traffic to avoid congestion. The hearing is considered critical to the net neutrality issue and the right of service providers to manage their networks.

The FCC is expected to push for greater transparency by providers but not ban throttling for bona fide network management.

For more:
- No Stanford hearing, says Martin Article

Related articles:
Trial of the Internet Article
Comcast hires seat warmers Article