Network neutrality: Issues for Australia

The beginning of the 21st century saw the beginning of substantial debate on “open access” to the Internet and the related concept of “network neutrality”. This paper is a short introduction to some of the complexities of the debate, focussing on the difficulties of attempting to regulate rapidly developing technologies, as well as particular issues of price and market regulation in Australia. Generally, network neutrality advocates believe that without regulation, telecommunications companies will use their control over “last mile” infrastructure to engage in discriminatory and anti-competitive practices against content providers. Opponents argue that this concern is illusory, and regulatory restrictions requiring neutrality will in their turn restrict innovation by network providers. In Australia, most discussion has focussed on price and market regulation. However, many Australian opponents of network neutrality say that it is an American problem, irrelevant to Australia, because of different pricing models for the Australian broadband market.