s net neutrality has been a major policy topic in the United States. In essence net neutrality advocates require infrastructure and retail layer companies to be content agnostic and treat all data traffic equally. In particular, Broadband Telecommunications Technologies and Management A vertically integrated player, e.g. Content provider Foxtel + Telstra + Telstra competitor, e.g. ABC TV iView, Hulu Retail provider Content and services layer competitor, e.g. adam internet Infrastructure Connectivity retail layer competitor, e.g. Infrastructure layer Subscriber Figure 2.22 Infrastructure layer characteristics alleged discriminatory behaviour by a vertically integrated video-streaming service provider + internet service retailer + infrastructure operator has fuelled legislative actions. This company was alleged to have slowed down the video delivery service of a competitor in favour of its own service. Net neutrality discussion is still on-going, although the legislative process appears to have slowed [8]. This demonstrates the capability of infrastructure and retail layer companies to discriminate traffic delivery. Net neutrality and service regulation is being considered in a number of countries around the world. A vertically integrated industry is illustrated in Figure 2.22. Case Study 2.1: IPMobile In 2003 the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) started the process of selecting a new mobile operator to provide broadband wireless data com- munications service using the 2010-2025 MHz spectrum. The successful candidate was to acquire the spectrum with no upfront costs based on a 'beauty contest': the ministry's decision of the winning operator was to be based on the strength of the proposed tech- nology and the candidate's business plan viability. This was in stark contrast to contem- porary 3G spectrum auctions in many countries around the world where billions of dollars were spent by prospective operators to acquire spectrum rights. At the time four, mobile telecommunications companies