AT&T Mobile Business CEO: Title II Is Not Necessarily The Right Approach

With the debate regarding net neutrality relatively settled for now, companies are coming to terms with the new rules of the game. Ralph de la Vega, AT&T Inc. T Mobile Business CEO and president, was interviewed by CNBC at the Mobile World Congress, where he talked about how mobility is changing business and net neutrality.

Adapt Or Get Overtaken

“I think it [wireless] is going to drive the next efficiency and big moves in enterprise,” de la Vega said. “Mobility is changing everything about business. The way businesses are getting transformed is by taking their stuff and putting it in the cloud and then accessing it with mobile devices.

“So, what we see is complete disruption of industries. And I think most industries realize that they have to adapt or get overtaken by [cloud technology].

“So, what we are seeing is – especially in the enterprise base – is incredible interest in investing in technology to improve the effectiveness of their operations.”

Related Link: Internet Regulation Vote Unlikely To End Net Neutrality Fight

Title II Not Necessarily The Right Approach

On net neutrality de la Vega stated, “We believe in an open Internet. We actually supported the existing rules that were set in 2010, before they got overturn by the court. So, we believe in an open Internet; that's point one.

“Number two is – Title II is the mechanism that was going to be used to implement it. That is being used to it by the Federal Communications Commission. That legislation came about in 1934, and we don't think the laws of 1934 should be used for 21st century networks, especially when they include wire-line and wireless.”

According to de la Vega, before the government takes a heavy-handed approach to regulations, it should “think twice.”

Vega concluded, “Light-handed regulation is fine; we believe in an open Internet, but we don't think Title II is necessarily a right approach right now.”