RCR Wireless News has an interesting story about the battle brewing over just who should regulate Short Codes:

The controversy over whether the Federal Communications Commission should regulate short code-related text messaging has opened a floodgate of weighty policy questions — from network management to consumer protection to free speech — that could make resolution of the matter far more difficult than federal regulators and warring factions may have anticipated.

How did we get here?

Last year, NARAL Pro-Choice America bumped heads with Verizon Wireless after the carrier initially rejected its application for a short code it wanted to use to transmit wireless alerts to supporters. After the controversy gained national media attention, Verizon Wireless reversed course and gave the abortion-rights organization access to its network. Then Rebtel, a Voice over Internet Protocol firm that offers low-cost international calling on mobile phones, began to complain loudly about being turned down by Verizon Wireless, Alltel Corp. and T-Mobile USA Inc. in requests to secure short code-enabled text messaging rights.

So how is this going to end? We'll just have to wait and see.
Read more @ RCR Wireless News.