Wall Street analyst Anna-Maria Kovacs is out with an interesting take on the FCC’s Notice of Inquiry proposal (Link 1). In an email to investors, she notes:

“What is interesting is that the NOI asks about the practices of content and application service providers as well as those of broadband network and access providers. The record built as a result of this NOI could expand the focus of the debate on the potential for harm caused by other parties, such as portals or site managers. Thus, it has the potential to broaden the scope of the debate substantially and to put some of the parties who have been pushing net neutrality on the defense .” (Emphasis ours)

If the FCC follows through on this, consumers could be treated to quite a show as regulations biggest advocates suddenly head for the hills. After all, eBay and Google have been locked in a year-long fight over the security of Google Checkout. eBay uses PayPal… which coincidentally happens to be owned by eBay.

And let’s not forget Amazon, which loves to advertise its one-click check-out simplicity. That company hasn’t exactly welcomed either Checkout or PayPal with open arms.

Of course, the truth is that in a free market, companies that do the best job of appealing to consumer tastes win and it shouldn’t be up to the Feds to save companies from their own shortsighted actions. Still, it would be a little bit fun to see certain folks in San Jose and Seattle squirm over their own non-neutral practices.