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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

FCC: We didn't impose stricter net neutrality regulations on wireless because Android is open

FCC's major net neutrality decision today, but the Commission hasn't actually released the full text of the order yet, specific reasons the FCC gives for regulating wireless broadband more lightly than wireline is the release of Android.

The release says that only "measured steps" to regulating wireless are necessary because "open operating systems like Android" have been released, and that it wants to see how Verizon and other 700MHz spectrum winners handle the hotly-contested openness requirement when building out 4G. Here's the full quote:
Further, we recognize that there have been meaningful recent moves toward openness, including the introduction of open operating systems like Android. In addition, we anticipate soon seeing the effects on the market of the openness conditions we imposed on mobile providers that operate on upper 700 MHz C-Block spectrum, which includes Verizon Wireless, one of the largest mobile wireless carriers in the U.S.

In light of these considerations, we conclude it is appropriate to take measured steps at this time to protect the openness of the Internet when accessed through mobile broadband.