Network Neutrality Debates in Telecommunications Reform: Actors, Incentives, Risks

Abstract

This work presents a summary of the debates about Network Neutrality in the legislative process of Mexico in 2013–2014. A major telecommunications law and market reform is taking place in the country and Network Neutrality is a useful test case to measure how convergent the legislation actually manages to be and to identify options that can be translated to other markets. It is of interest also because it occurs in the absence of any common-carriage tradition and at the same time as must-carry, must-offer provisions are being introduced for television for the first time. Network Neutrality has become a rallying cry for public demonstrations and other protests against the reform project. Major economic forces, ideological and political trends are described and interpreted with a view toward their generalization to other geographies and contexts.