Thus, government policy in this area should be driven by two main goals. The FCC should decide which policies will result in the most rapid industry evolution and which ones are most in line with the commission's long-term effort to bring real market competition to the telecommunications sector. Both argue strongly for letting companies make their own decisions. The OpenNet coalition, which is led by America Online but also includes GTE, US West, MCI WorldCom, MindSpring Enterprises and others, argues that FCC intervention is needed to prevent the emergence of cable operators as new telecommunications monopolists. With high-powered lobbyists such as Greg Simon, formerly Al Gore's chief of staff, they have certainly learned the public relations game well.
Nobody wants to be in favor of closed networks, just as no one is in favor of dirty water.
If cable operators actually become Internet monopolists and really do begin to harm consumers, then the FCC should act. But between telephone Digital Subscriber Line technology and high-speed satellite and wireless systems, there's a very good chance that cable operators won't be monopolists at all. Additionally, there's a dirty little secret that neither side is eager to reveal. Consumers aren't exactly stampeding toward the current high-speed offerings. When such services are first introduced, lots of Internet enthusiasts rush to sign up, but the rate of acceptance soon slows considerably.