We continue to endure an historic legacy model of telecommunications, based on the age when it was required to be an integrated solution. Like railways, structurally integrated. And when the standards and operations were externalised in open standards the Internet was possible. Like the private automobile and roads, structurally separated. The next analogy, I think will be the ocean, and who should pop up with that one too?

"The Net needs to be an ocean that lifts all boats - including countless businesses. Not a network of canals owned by trench-diggers and container cargo haulers."

Doc Searls

and following on from that

"Requiring Google to bid on spectrum in order to get decent carriage of its bits, is like requiring GM to bid on road construction projects to ensure it cars will be allowed on the highway. It is a sad commentary on how badly policy makers in Washington have lost sight of the fundamental principles of open communications."

Mark Cooper, Research Director of Consumer Federation of America, by private correspondence today, reprinted by his permission.

The road analogy is gaining traction, the idea that the collective is best positioned to build and operate a competitive platform that has the lowest possible barriers to entry. We don't want the State to operate services, just make the roads impartial and let competition flourish.

(Thanks for the encouragement, "post more stuff. I'm getting sick of reading this one.")