Although “the Internet” seems ethereal, it is in fact a network of networks that connects billions of users around the world. The capabilities of the Internet are dependent on the reach of those networks. Many governments worldwide are considering how to effectively and efficiently make robust networks available to their citizens to enable them to access the Internet.
Wireless or “mobile” devices send information one-to-one (like mobile phones), one-to-many (like AM or FM radio), or many-to-many (like Wi-Fi Internet access). Wireless devices send and receive signals along the electromagnetic spectrum in the form of waves similar to visible light or sound.
Given the significance of the Internet, preserving its “openness” – an idea often referred to as “network neutrality” or “net neutrality” – has been a long-standing issue.
High-speed Internet access – often referred to as “broadband” – is a set of technologies that, taken together, are recognized as a potential catalyst for global economic and social change.
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Stanford’s Gregory Rosston provides his insights to the net neutrality debate in a policy brief he recently prepared for the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
January 18, 2018
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"Today, the Internet is a space where every Californian, no matter the color of their skin or the size of their wallets, has equal chance of reaching people online. It's a space where we the people—not AT&T and Comcast—determine what succeeds in our economy, our culture, and our democracy." — Barbara van Schewick, Professor of Law, Stanford University
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Featured Article
This article analyzes the advantages of allowing public access to broadcast frequencies between commercial stations.
January 2, 2011
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