XI. Conclusion
On this difficult subject, participants on both sides seem miraculously confident in their conflicting positions. I urge the FCC to shun such confidence; hence the consciously inconclusive tone of this paper. There are rational responses to uncertainty other than deciding based on philosophy or ideology. And ICE is too thin to rely on arguing simply that customers value modularity so firms will preserve it.
This paper grew from a June 2003 presentation at a Progress & Freedom Foundation conference on open access, and I thank Mark Lemley and PFF conference participants, especially Pat DeGraba and Greg Rosston, for helpful discussion. Mark Rodini provided valued research assistance.
Chairman Powell’s speech seems to argue that it would be bad to regulate, but bad to get the kinds of outcomes that proponents of regulation fear. Powell, Michael, “Preserving Internet Freedom: Guiding Principles for the Industry,” Remarks at the Silicon Flatirons Symposium, University of Colorado at Boulder, February 8, 2004, available at: <http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-243556A1.pdf.>
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Farrell, J. (2006). Open Access Arguments: Why Confidence is Misplaced. In: Lenard, T.M., May, R.J. (eds) Net Neutrality or Net Neutering: Should Broadband Internet Services be Regulated. Springer, Boston, MA . https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-33928-0_6
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