Official consumer protection agencies and NGOs have long advocated removal of the regulatory obligation for broadband users to subscribe to an ISP in addition to paying for the data service proper. The idea is informally supported by telcos, which could thereby reduce the overall cost of providing broadband service to their customers. For Anatel, however, it?s a ?dangerous? proposal. Luiz Tito Cerasoli, a member of Anatel?s board, says ?there?s a risk of leaving users at the mercy of a few large players that would corner the broadband market. It?s a value-added service, so telcos wouldn?t allow Anatel to intervene and would do as they like. Goodbye to competition.? Ara Apkar Minassian, head of mass communication, notes that the issue is more complex for pay-television operators, which are subject to a specific set of rules on value-added services. Under these rules all value-added services must be offered to pay-TV subscribers by multiple ISPs. ?In any event, we?re concerned about this campaign,? he says. ?We mean to work with other departments of Anatel to make sure broadband access policy is fair and equitable.?
Broadband
