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May 21, 2025

Network Neutrality Is Not a Given: Lessons from Germany for the EU’s Digital Future

The internet's open architecture has been a cornerstone of innovation and free expression. However, this foundation is increasingly challenged by proposals allowing large telecomoperators (telcos) to charge fees for data delivery, often framed as a "fair share" (aka “network fees”) contribution from large tech companies. A recent internet lab podcast interview with Thomas Lohninger from epicenter.works sheds light on a real-world example in Germany, highlighting why such models pose a significant threat not just...

Blog Post, digital rights, European policy, internet policy
March 5, 2025

Skype’s Shutdown: A Reminder of Telcos’ War on VoIP and the Case for Net Neutrality

Microsoft’s announcement that it will shut down Skype in May 2025 marks the end of an era for Internet calling. The pioneering VoIP service changed how the world communicates, but its journey was fraught with battles against traditional telecom operators. From secretive beginnings born of fear of telco retaliation to regulatory fights that enshrined net neutrality, Skype’s story offers a cautionary tale. As we bid farewell to Skype, it’s worth remembering how close we...

Blog Post, digital rights, internet policy
March 4, 2025

Who Let the DOGE Out at the Mobile World Congress?

At this year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges declared, “Europe needs its own DOGE.” No, this wasn’t a belated cryptocurrency joke. He was referring to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—a U.S. initiative to slash bureaucracy by slashing government jobs. In a city like Barcelona, famous for its history of anti-authoritarian resistance, this statement was the rhetorical equivalent of bringing a cat to a dog show. But beyond the...

Blog Post, digital rights, internet policy
December 12, 2024

Ghosts of Digital Policy: A Network Fees Christmas Carol

Brussels’ corridors of power lay shrouded in December fog, thick and grey. The Big Telcos, channelling Scrooge, shuffled through halls in feigned distress. To policymakers, they spun woeful tales. Yet in warm boardrooms, their financial forecasts gleamed like festive hearths. Their narrative shifted like mist, from dire to prosperous. But unlike Scrooge, no redemption loomed for these masters of doublespeak on this Christmas Eve 2024. As the clock ticks towards 2025, Europe’s digital connectivity future...

Blog Post, digital rights, European policy, internet policy