In this report for Deutsche Telekom, Brian Williamson sets out the case for a 'fibre to 5G' (ft5g) vision, instead of an overly narrow and backwards looking focus on fibre all the way to the home.
Application providers are already taking a 'mobile first' approach, and those interested in telecoms networks should shift their attention to providing ubiquitous wireless connectivity.
Mark Bunting has published two papers, in the Journal of Cyber Policy and Intermedia, discussing policy regarding online platforms (linked to other Communications Chambers work for Apple and Sky).
Both articles consider possible regulatory responses to the role of digital platforms in governing online markets and as gatekeepers to online content and communication. Platforms bring huge benefits of choice, openness and efficiency. But with concerns growing about the risks, unintended consequences and abuse of open platforms, many governments are considering what form of regulation may be needed. However, bad regulation may be worse than no regulation at all.
Intermedia (the journal of the International Institute of Communications) has published a paper coauthored by Victoria Nash (Oxford Internet Institute) and Mark. They argue that effective oversight of platforms requires creative, robust but proportionate regulation. The benefits of platforms should not come at the expense of citizen, consumer or worker rights. Yet platforms are diverse and raise novel concerns. Lifting-and-shifting old regulation to new models is unlikely to be effective. Problems need to be evidenced and solutions developed collaboratively.
In the Journal of Cyber Policy (subscription only, but eprints available from Mark at mark@commcham.com), Mark coins the term 'procedural accountability' to describe a way for platforms to achieve legitimacy in their handling of harmful or illegal content, without being held to unrealistic standards of perfection. Platforms are not publishers, and should not be held generally liable for content uploaded by their users. But their role in monitoring and filtering content, and in making judgements about its legality, is increasingly significant. New institutional arrangements will be required to assess the impacts of this activity and ensure due process.
In this report published by the Reuters Institute of Journalism, Robin Foster considers the potential impact of online gatekeepers on online news plurality
In this paper for the CCIA, Brian Williamson argues that :
Knetworks is an EU funded project supporting innovation in the Atlantic region. The Oxford Internet Institute (one of the participants) worked with Rob Kenny to prepare a paper on online strategies for innovation.
The paper takes a pragmatic approach, using tourism, eGovernment and knowledge transfer (from universities to industry) as examples, and providing practical recommendations.
Telecoms