The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission said he will recommend dismissal of a controversial petition from Skype. Speaking at the annual CTIA convention in Las Vegas, the call for dismissal by FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin drew applause.

In February, Skype petitioned the FCC to stop wireless carriers from setting limits on subscribers' right to run software communications applications of their choosing. The blog Ars Technica has a good description of the petition.

Skype executives were quick to show their disappointment over the chairman's decision. A statement from Christopher Libertelli, Skype's senior director of government and regulatory affairs, stated, "After so much positive, but incomplete, industry movement toward greater openness, we are disappointed that the Chairman is leaning toward dismissing Skype's petition, which would potect a consumer's right to use any application and any device on a wireless network."

Libertelli's statement went on to read: "Without Commission oversight in the area, the FCC will have taken a step backward away from openness, and toward a policy of 'trust the carriers.' "