Access to internet-based content, applications and services has risen up the policy agenda because such applications are recognised to be of growing importance to citizens, consumers, public services, the economy and society; and because some network access providers have engaged in harmful blocking and discrimination against such applications.
It has also been argued by some European network operators that demand and associated traffic growth is a problem rather than an opportunity and that policy makers should support the introduction of new charges in relation to content and application providers.
The question of how the open internet is governed is one of central economic and social importance.
For this reason a group of content, application and service providers commissioned Plum to consider the question of how value is created and distributed along the value chain and what form of governance should apply in order to sustain innovation and investment along the value chain, to the benefit of all.
Our aim in producing this report has been to bring clarity to the issues - to make them as simple as possible but no simpler - and to provide a clear sense of direction for those charged with policy making and policy implementation, without being overly prescriptive given the pace of change and innovation which characterises the market.
