Wireless Carriers Face Double Standard on Free Data, CTIA Chief Says
Wireless carriers face a double standard on free data services compared with the rest of industry, CTIA President Meredith Baker said in a commentary in Morning Consult. The FCC is reportedly close to a decision on whether some practices by…
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carriers are considered a violation of agency rules for zero-rated offerings (see 1603300032). The largest video provider in the U.S., Netflix, announced last week it was throttling traffic on some mobile networks without clear notice, Baker wrote. “JetBlue and Amazon have a partnership that lets you watch Amazon Prime movies for free on your flight over Wi-Fi. This is a good thing for passengers in the sky: free data and free content,” she said. “Yet this week, special interest groups demanded that the FCC also outlaw those same free data relationships when provided by a wireless provider because of the FCC’s sweeping general Internet conduct standard under the Net Neutrality regime. All of this despite the fact that consumers have embraced free data services and benefit from a better mobile experience -- not just on planes, but everywhere.”