-Vodafone CEO calls for regulatory compliance of Internet firms

Internet Business News
06-06-2011
-Vodafone CEO calls for regulatory compliance of Internet firms

INTERNET BUSINESS NEWS-(C)1995-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

6 June 2011 -- Internet companies should comply with the national laws that telecoms firms follow, according to Vodafone's (LON:VOD) chief executive, Vittorio Colao, the Financial Times reports.
In an article in today's newspaper, Colao argues that Internet companies should also be subject to regulations such as those regarding consumer and data protection and, like telecoms operators, should bear the related compliance costs.

Colao's comments are contrary to calls by US online giants like Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) and Facebook, which have warned against tough policing of the web.

Telecoms operators, including Vodafone, Telefonica (MCE:TEF) and France Telecom (EPA:FTE), are currently pushing for the right to impose fees on Internet companies for delivering their bandwidth- demanding content. The operators hope that a summit held by Neelie Kroes, the commissioner in charge of the European Union's digital agenda, next month will not promote a net neutrality regime that could stop them from levying such fees.

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