Davos hears about fears of internet break-up

Business leaders pushing for frictionless free trade have something new to worry about: the potential break-up of the internet.

The issue is a hot topic at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, and the forum is seeking to provide a platform for debate over ways to maintain an open, cross-border web in the face of pressures for national regulation.

“Is fragmentation happening? Quite frankly, there is a temptation,” said Vittorio Colao, chief executive of mobile telecoms group Vodafone, who pointed to different regulatory regimes as an impediment to network traffic.