Fergie's Tech Blog

Net Neutrality: Verizon Disconnects Google

Via Red Herring.

Calling the Internet freedom fight on Capitol Hill the “oddest Washington debate I have ever seen,” Tom Tauke, a Verizon executive and former congressman, came out swinging against Net neutrality supporters, particularly Google, which he accused of perpetuating an old-world business model.

In a sharply worded address before a Media Institute forum held on Tuesday, Mr. Tauke charged that Net neutrality is an attempt to seal the business model that has made companies such as Google successful in government regulation.

“We’ve seen what happens to innovation when the government imposes old-world, common-carrier regulations and tries to anticipate or impose business models,” he said. “For consumers and the country, government regulation of this developing market is a lose-lose proposition.”

Without mentioning the company by name, Mr. Tauke took Google to task for its efforts in support of Net neutrality.

posted by Fergie @ 7/12/2006 11:05:00 AM