2009: Summer of (Open) Love?

While the U.S. media was celebrating the 40th anniversary of Woodstock — a time of peace, love and rock ‘n' roll — the telecom industry was making even more overtures toward “open” — as in open access networks.

Recent developments on multiple fronts included:

• Verizon is preparing to open its FiOS TV app store to third-party software developers to allow them to create apps for the new Widget Bazaar announced this summer. To do this, Verizon will open its application programming interfaces and software development kit and set up a process for software developers to get apps accepted and to bill for their apps. The result could be something similar to the iPhone App Store: an explosion of applications at low cost to consumers, although because FiOS TV represents a much smaller audience, it isn't likely to draw nearly the same level of interest.

• Broadband stimulus funding application rules made it clear that applicants offering open access networks via published interconnection rates and non-discriminatory interconnection will get preference for government funding. The original legislation included open access as a target but didn't spell out how it would be provided.

• A new global study, “Global Next Generation Telecoms: FTTH and Trans-Sector Strategies,” from Budde Communications said the economic crisis is prompting a push for open network access to help speed new network services in industries such as health care, education and smart grids. Australia is making the biggest bet, spending $43 billion on its broadband stimulus to build an open fiber-to-the-home network to 90% of homes in that country.

• Ofcom, the British regulator, said open network access is working in the U.K., where BT was forced to unbundle its copper network. There are now 6 million unbundled lines and more than 30 broadband competitors, the regulator said. Since 2005, when BT was forced to unbundle, broadband penetration in the U.K. has gone from 37% to 68%.

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