Dutch parliament neatly slashed Gordian Knot of neutral network issue

Begin forwarded message:

From: "D.H. van der woude" <[email protected]>
Date: October 26, 2006 10:10:33 AM EDT
To: [email protected]
Subject: Dutch parliament neatly slashed Gordian Knot of neutral  
network issue

Hi Dave,

Last week I subscribed to your list and I like it. Thanks!

Last tuesday Dutch parliament took some sweeping
unanimous votes on the issue of neutral networks.
Alas quite underrepoterd in the English language
press. Maybe you 're interested in it.

greetings,
Dirk van der Woude

Underreporting on Dutch Parliaments votes on neutral network
issue - first Parliament in the world to demand strict separation
between networks and services.
The reporting focused on the effects for cable companies, but
erroneously stated that just a majority was in favour and, more
important missed the broader context.

First: parliament voted on TWO resolutions (translations below)

Second: both resolutions were adopted UNANIMOUSLY ( i.e.
150 of 150 votes), not by a majority. So the gest of the resolutions
apparantly goes beyond the normal political nitty gritty discussions.

Last: of course the open coax cable network is one issue, but actually
the Dutch parliament is the first that neatly slashed the Gordian Knot
of the neutral network issue: it wants ALL networks open and as well
a (new) Telecommunicaton Law based strict separation between networks
and services for ALL networks, be them based on copper, coax or fiber.

Of course now the demands of parliament for a new design of the
Telecom Law go into procedure, have to be discussed with
Brussels and what not.

Still: here a parliament of an OECD member state unanimously made
a clear choice in favour of abolishing vertical integrated  
telecommunication
networks.


Resolution 1:
- considering that the telecom sector more and more has strategies
  towards vertical integration of networks and services

- considering that this integration can hinder free competition between
  service providers

- considering that existing competion- end telecom laws offer  
insufficient
    means to resist these competion barriers

- considering that government as well as parliament are in favour of a
  standing charge model (as proposed in the earlier accepted motion of
  MP Atsma of 2004)

- invites the government to propose within a year to parliament for
  changes in the Telecommunication law, by which the markets for
  infrastructure and services will strictly be divided by the  
introduction
  of a standing charge model as well as the prohibition of the
  conditional sale of network and services.

Of this motion Trade minister Wijn said that it might be difficult to  
get
Brussels to agree to it, however it has his sympathy - and he will do
his best to see it through.


Resolution 2

- Considering that developments in the telecom sector have developed
  rapidly

- considering that there hardly is any difference anymore between telco-
  and cable networks, form the perspectives of technology as well as use

- considering that free access for all service providers furthers  
innovation  and ICT in the Netherlands

- invites the government to to propose within a year to parliament for a
  change in the Telecommunication law, leading to mandatory, open,
  non discriminatory access to all networks for all serviceproviders

On the above motion the new Trade minister Wijn has said that it
has all of his heart.

-- 
'We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.'
— Decca executive, rejecting the Beatles, 1962