It is also important to note here that the commercial interests have changed. Some of the early pioneers and early community-based initiatives have now grown into trillion-dollar businesses. There is, of course, a great deal at stake and under such commercial pressures some of the ‘community’ principles are being undermined. Comments and statements made in relation to internet policies and controls will therefore also have to be judged according to whoever, among the various interests involved in the internet, is making them. The enormous amount of money paid for the latest domain names – estimated to be worth more than $350 million – is a good example of this frenzy.
Many of these companies have seen enormous growth over the last decade. They are using increasing amounts of network capacity without necessarily generating larger revenues for the telcos who provide the infrastructure. This has created tensions, and it has been foreshadowed by a group of European telcos that these will also be discussed at the event.