Information Economy Project Mini-Conference: "Lessons from the Telecom Wars," Sept. 28, 2006

The policies introduced by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 have already witnessed generational turnover.  Through 2004, policy makers struggled to craft network sharing mandates, giving local phone market entrants the 'stepping stones' needed to compete.  But then those rules collapsed, over-turned by federal courts.  In the wake of the "unbundling" mandates, some see market rivalry flourishing.  Others defend the scrapped regulatory regime as a missed opportunity.  How we assess the path we've traveled, and how we view the opportunities now unfolding, will help define the regulatory models we embrace for communications networks of the future. 

2:00 pm:  Panel 1.  INDUCING COMPETITION IN PHONE NETWORKS

Robert Crandall, Brookings Institution: “Stepping Stones” or Stumbling Blocks”? – Mandatory Network Sharing in Telecom" >> Powerpoint slides

Nicholas Economides, New York University

Marius Schwartz, Georgetown University: "Telecom Competition and the 1996 Act:Reflecting Back and Looking Forward" >> Powerpoint slides

Drew Clark, Center for Public Integrity (moderator)

3:40 pm:  Panel 2.  BROADBAND DEREGULATION AND NET NEUTRALITY

Paul Misener, Amazon.com: "Net Neutrality: An Issue By Any Other Name" >> Powerpoint slides

Thomas Hazlett, George Mason University: "Empirical Evidence on the Effect of Broadband Regulation" >> Powerpoint slides

Brian Carney, Wall Street Journal (moderator)

5:00 pm: Adjourn to Reception (lasting until 6:00 pm)

VENUE: The George Mason University School of Law, 3301 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia (steps from the Virginia Square-GMU Metro -- Orange Line).