As many know, the set of regulations known in the U.S. as “Net Neutrality” was repealed in Summer 2018. Interestingly, this is one debate that didn’t fall along party or ideological lines. Republicans and Democrats were on both sides of the issue, along with ample free-market independents arguing that their position is the more “business friendly” approach.
At PTC’19, we invited two of our members with strong positions on this issue to square off during the Center Stage Sessions for Net Neutrality: Regulation for Pipes or Platforms?
Dave Schaeffer, Founder and CEO of Cogent Communications, gave a quick and helpful history of Internet regulations in his opening remarks. While he pointed out that net neutrality regulations were always difficult to enforce, he favored the “light-handed” approach the FCC took before the repeal.
John Strand, CEO of Strand Consult, countered Dave’s remarks by making the case that countries with heavy net-neutrality regulations see less innovation and less application development than those countries without.
As you might imagine, this was among our most popular sessions at PTC’19. If you missed it, no worries—we’ve made the recording available.
Which side of the debate do you fall? Share your thoughts on social media, with the hashtag #PTC19.
