Layered Model of Regulation
Encyclopedia
The layered model of telecommunication regulation is a proposal for nascent US telecommunication public policies that mimic the horizontal characteristics of Internet Protocol
communication and the OSI model
. Advocates of layered telecommunication policies argue that current US regulations are not longer appropriate for new information technologies as functionally similar services (such as DSL and cable modems) are not goverened by a common set of rules but instead subject to separate regulatory systems written for each distinct media type such as the telephone or cable television systems .
The layered policy model proposes a regulatory system that classifies technologies based on their common layered characteristics instead of regulating each communication technology with a disparate set of rules. Horizontal policy advocates argue that this modular approach to regulation promotes competition by forcing all telecommunication services to adhere to a uniform set of characteristic-based rules, thereby enhancing the competitive charactertics of an open marketplace.
Layered policy advocates argue that horizontal policies will provide regulatory clarity for current technologies and they will also be adaptable to future technologies. Layered policies could also provide an equal framework for local governments to provide municipal broadband
services in a fair and competitive manner alongside private telecommunication providers.
Internet Protocol
The Internet Protocol is the principal communications protocol used for relaying datagrams across an internetwork using the Internet Protocol Suite...
communication and the OSI model
OSI model
The Open Systems Interconnection model is a product of the Open Systems Interconnection effort at the International Organization for Standardization. It is a prescription of characterizing and standardizing the functions of a communications system in terms of abstraction layers. Similar...
. Advocates of layered telecommunication policies argue that current US regulations are not longer appropriate for new information technologies as functionally similar services (such as DSL and cable modems) are not goverened by a common set of rules but instead subject to separate regulatory systems written for each distinct media type such as the telephone or cable television systems .
The layered policy model proposes a regulatory system that classifies technologies based on their common layered characteristics instead of regulating each communication technology with a disparate set of rules. Horizontal policy advocates argue that this modular approach to regulation promotes competition by forcing all telecommunication services to adhere to a uniform set of characteristic-based rules, thereby enhancing the competitive charactertics of an open marketplace.
Layered policy advocates argue that horizontal policies will provide regulatory clarity for current technologies and they will also be adaptable to future technologies. Layered policies could also provide an equal framework for local governments to provide municipal broadband
Municipal broadband
Municipal broadband deployments are broadband Internet access services provided either fully or partially by local governments. Common connection technologies include unlicensed wireless , licensed wireless , and fiber-optic...
services in a fair and competitive manner alongside private telecommunication providers.