U.S. WARY OF ‘BACK-DOOR’ INTERNET REGULATION VIA TELECOM ISSUES
Internet shouldn’t be regulated internationally in context of attempt to reopen International Telecom Regulations (ITR), obligations that cover issues such as cost-based accounting rates for international telecom traffic, and U.S. will be “very vigorous” in defending that position at upcoming International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary (Plenipot) in Marrakech, Morocco, said David Gross, U.S. State Dept. coordinator for international communications & information policy. Gross -- who will lead a 60-member delegation to ITU from public and private sectors (including Dept. of Defense, FCC, NTIA, DoC, NASA and others) -- said U.S. wanted to make sure any action taken on ITR didn’t become back-door Internet regulation. NTIA Dir. Nancy Victory said Internet should be kept separate from traditional telecom regulation. Their comments came at Fri. news briefing on Plenipot.
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Plenipot will take up several other key issues as well, Gross said. ITU is running a “substantial deficit” as it struggles with increasing responsibilities, he said. U.S. will ask other countries for help in focusing on ITU’s core competencies and imposing “fiscal discipline” on organization, he said. ITU reform also will be key topic, Gross said. U.S. wants Council -- group of 46 countries authorized to act between Plenipots -- strengthened in ways that give it more leadership and flexibility, he said. U.S. also is running for reelection to Council. Delegations also will discuss World Summit on the Information Society, 2-part conference of heads of state that begins next year, Gross said. And he will continue to advocate U.S. position on “equitable access” to satellite orbital slots, he said. ENUM (e-numbering) isn’t likely to come up, he said. Any resolutions would be “very premature,” he said, because work on global e-numbering system isn’t at point where anyone is comfortable offering one.
U.S. delegates will hold both formal bilateral meetings and informal hallway powwows with other countries, Gross said. Victory said France, China and S. Africa already were “on the dance card.” With high percentage of ITU’s 189 member states expected at Plenipot, Gross said, U.S. intends to have “very aggressive outreach program.” “Chockfull schedule” includes talks with Asian, African and Western Hemisphere nations, he said.