SGER: Net neutrality

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

Since the fundamental Internet protocols were designed, the Internet has changed from a cooperative network to one in which carriers and application providers both cooperate and compete. Internet design, however, has not evolved to gracefully recognize or support this competition. Support for both cooperation and competition requires coordinated evolution of Internet architecture and communications law. Communications law that is not based on Internet architecture can not effectively regulate the converging communications marketplace. Similarly, Internet architecture that does not recognize the effect of communications law upon the marketplace can not serve as a catalyst for innovation and new applications. Broader Impact: The focus of this project is on the interplay between Internet architecture and communications law around a recent issue called Net Neutrality. Net neutrality represents the idea that Internet users are entitled to service that does not discriminate on the basis of source, destination, or ownership of Internet traffic. Proponents of net neutrality argue that without a prohibition on discrimination, Internet Service Providers may charge application providers discriminatory prices for access to dedicated bandwidth or for quality of service, or may outright block access to certain applications or websites, and that such activity will inhibit development of new Internet applications. Opponents of net neutrality argue that there is no current problem, that competition is sufficient to ensure that commercially negotiated arrangements for bandwidth or QoS will not negatively impact consumers, and that any regulation will discourage investment in network infrastructure. Congressional action, or inaction, on net neutrality will greatly impact Internet architecture. If Congress adopts one of the more extreme versions of net neutrality, then the use of QoS could be prohibited. If Congress adopts a more moderate version of net neutrality, then QoS might be allowed but charging for QoS might be prohibited. If Congress does not act on net neutrality, then ISPs may block access to QoS mechanisms to competing application providers. Any of these actions would substantially affect the evolution of the Internet and of future Internet research. Intellectual Merit: In this project, the issue of net neutrality will be used to examine the interplay between Internet architecture and communications law, by considering the implications of Internet architecture upon net neutrality law and by considering the implications of net neutrality law upon Internet architecture. First, a network model and terminology will be created that can be interpreted in both Internet architecture and communications law. Internet infrastructure services will be defined as functionality that must be provided within the access network, whereas Internet application services will be defined as functionality that can be provided elsewhere in the Internet. Second, to consider the implications of Internet architecture upon net neutrality law, a net neutrality law will be formulated based on a careful delineation of Internet infrastructure and Internet applications. The approach will essentially mandate the use of open interfaces between infrastructure and applications, but will not mandate full open access, which would require open interfaces at each protocol layer. Third, to consider the implications of net neutrality law upon Internet architecture, architectural requirements required to support net neutrality through an open interface will be identified. Internet architecture requirements required to gracefully support both cooperation and competition will be studied. New design principles that the FIND community should attempt to incorporate into future Internet architecture will be formulated. It is difficult to formulate