Intel, a supporter of Itsournet.org and NN regulation, apparently hedged its NN bets yesterday, investing $600m in Clearwire, which does not have NN and which is Craig McCaw's WiMax venture to offer more broadband competition nationwide to the telephone, cable and wireless companies. Clearwire is a member of the WCA, the wireless broadband association, which recently joined NETCompetition.org as an e-forum member opposed to NN regulation.
This is Intel's biggest venture investment ever. Given the success of WiFi, which Intel strongly nurtured in order to accelerate the replacement cycle of laptops, they clearly see the same opportunity in WiMax. It is very important to note that WiFi has never been subject to NN rules nor has WiMax nor has Clearwire's WiMax-like technology. And to date Clearwire has offered a differentiated offering that it could not do if subjected to Snowe-Dorgan NN rules.
Clearly the business and money side of Intel believe in the opportunity of creating additional competitive broadband opportunities to telephone, cable and wireless providers. It appears that their money people don't believe there is "market failure" or that the alleged cable and telephone "duopoly" is enduring. If the money folks truly believed it was broadband was a permanent duopoly they would essentially be throwing their $600m down a rathole.
That brings me to the apparent schizophrenia at Intel. Before Otellini joined the Board of Google, Intel was consistently one of the strongest voices for de-regulation in Washington. Apparently, Intel changed its longstanding public policy stance which well-served its company interests, becuase of the political interests championed by Google.
My question to any current or former Intel folks is "what's going on here?"
Intel is not putting its money where its mouth is!
How does Intel square its record investment in a Clearwire and a increasingly competitive broadband market, and its Itsournet.org NN stance calling for new regulaiton of the net? Has anyone at Intel informed CEO Otellini that WiFi and WiMax have never had NN requiremments?
Has anyone suggested that if the Snowe-Dorgan or Markey NN bills passed, that they would kneecap his recent $600m investment in Clearwire? Is Intel hedging its bets or has Intel's CEO changed his company's public policy stance for political reasons that are not in the best interests of his shareholders?
Intel Shareholders should ask their CEO how Intel's support of Snowe Dorgan NN serves their interests?
