February20,2015

Ms.MarleneH.Dortch,Secretary
FederalCommunicationsCommission
445TwelfthStreet,SW
Washington,DC20554

ViaElectronicFiling
Re:NoticeofExParteCommunications,GNDocketNos.10127,1428

DearMs.Dortch:

OnFebruary19,2015,AlanDavidson,Director,andSarahMorris,SeniorPolicyCounsel,both
ofNewAmericasOpenTechnologyInstitute(OTI),spokewithPriscillaDelgadoArgeris,
SeniorLegalAdvisorforFederalCommunicationsCommissionerJessicaRosenworcel.During
thatmeeting,OTImadethefollowingpresentationregardingtheCommissionsOpenInternet
Proceeding.

AlanDavidsonbeganbyexpressingOTIsstrongappreciationoftheCommissionscontinued
goodworkinthisproceeding,andinparticularoftheCommissionsstrongproposedrulesand
inclusionofinterconnectionwithinthescopeofthefinalOrder.However,Davidsonalsonoted
oneareaofsignificantconcernforOTI.

Specifically,DavidsonnotedOTIsseriousconcernsonthemeritsofanyproposedtheoryfor
legalauthoritythatwouldrecognizearelationshipbetweenanypersonorentitysendingpackets
overtheInternetasaspeaker,contentcreatororsender,oredgeserviceanddistant,
lastmileInternetServiceProviders(ISPs),andthecreationofrulesbasedonthatrelationship.
Historically,speakersontheInternethavenotneededtocareaboutthemechanismbywhich
theirtrafficreachestheISPsubscriberwhohasrequestedthattraffic.Indeed,thelevelof
abstractionthatkeptthosetwopartiesatarmslengthisoneofthekeycharacteristicsofthe
Internet.

Byrecognizinganovel,edgefacingserviceandclassifyingitasacommoncarriageservice,the
Commissionriskscreatinganunintendedlegalrelationshipbetweenpacketsendersonthe
contentlayerandlastmilecarriersontheinfrastructurelayer.Thisprivityhasneverexistedin
thehistoryoftheInternet.OTIbelievesverystronglythatunderminingthefunctionalseparation
ofthenetworkslayerswouldfundamentallydisruptthewaytheInternethasalwaysworked.

Davidsonalsoexpressedconcernsaboutthepotentialpoliticalramificationsofthiscomponentof
theproposal.First,thelegaltheorycouldalienatekeystakeholderswhootherwisestrongly
supporttheCommissionsproposedactioninthisproceeding.Second,becauseitrecognizesa
newservice,thelegaltheorysinclusioninthefinalOrdercouldleavetheCommission
vulnerabletoargumentsaboutpotentialoverreach.

Giventhepotentialforareviewingcourttoacceptorrejectanylegaltheory,orcombination
thereof,offeredfortherules,OTIsconcernsexistregardlessofwhetherasendersideor
edgefacinglegaltheoryisofferedasaprimaryjustificationfortherulesorasecondary
justificationinthealternative.OTIurgedtheCommissiontoadoptatheoryoflegalauthority
thatrecognizesthatbroadbandcarriersdeliveryofedgeprovidertrafficispartandparcelofthe
unitaryservicethatcarrierspromiseanddelivertoconsumersnotadistinctandindependent
servicetoedgeproviders.

PursuanttotheCommissionsrules,thisnoticeisbeingfiledintheabovereferenceddocketsfor
inclusioninthepublicrecord.

Respectfullysubmitted,

/s/SarahMorris

SarahJ.Morris
SeniorPolicyCounsel
OpenTechnologyInstitute
NewAmericaFoundation
1899LStreetNW,Suite400
Washington,DC20036