FCC Considers Net Neutrality Rules: Tribes Cannot Afford to Remain Neutral

The free market that is the Internet is a primary universal gateway for commercial transactions, including those in Tribal economies. The Internet provides access to Indian Country patrons and customers and may be the only way to reach rural Indian businesses. The free market created and maintained by the Internet could soon be a federally regulated digital environment where rates will be charged for data transferred on the Internet and restricted network access.

Domestic telecommunications policy within the United States has until now encouraged the largely unregulated expansion and modernization of Internet systems and applications to allow ready public access for commercial and other purposes. Yet now, telecommunications companies are stirring up a policy debate that could allow these entities to charge rates for data transmission based on the bandwidth used. Essentially, users would be forced to pay for access for all data transmitted via the Internet. Telecommunications companies are advocating a tiered pricing system, based on the bandwidth being used--a strategy which could lead to segregated pricing based upon content of the data being accessed or type of users accessing the data. The concept of pricing based upon content and users could be the next battleground in strategic competition for access to the broad markets provided by an open Internet.

For more information, read the full article available on Northwest Indian Law & Business Advisor.

About the Author