[Cybertel-Ann] FTC to Host Workshop on Broadband Connectivity Competition Policy

[Robert Cannon]

    For Release: December  7, 2006
      FTC to Host Workshop on Broadband Connectivity  Competition Policy
      The Federal Trade Commission will host a two-day public workshop on  “Broadband Connectivity Competition Policy” in Washington, DC  on February 13 and 14, 2007. The workshop will bring together experts from  business, government, and the technology sector, consumer advocates, and  academics to explore competition and consumer protection issues relating to  broadband Internet access, including so-called “network neutrality.”
      The FTC’s Internet Access Task Force, convened by Chairman Deborah Platt  Majoras in August 2006, is organizing the workshop. The Task Force, led by  Maureen K. Ohlhausen, Director of the FTC’s Office of Policy Planning, with  participants from throughout the agency, seeks to enhance the FTC’s expertise  in the area of Internet access. Since Chairman Majoras publicly invited  interested parties to meet with the Task Force last August, it has heard a wide  variety of views on the subjects of broadband Internet access in general and  network neutrality in particular.
      The workshop will explore issues raised by recent legal and regulatory  determinations that providers of certain broadband Internet services, such as cable modem and DSL, are not subject  to the Federal Communications  Commission’s common-carrier  regulations. In the absence of such regulations, some have raised concerns  about broadband Internet  service providers discriminating  against, degrading, or blocking users’ access to unaffiliated content and  applications. In addition, concerns have been raised regarding ISPs and other  network operators charging providers of unaffiliated content and applications  fees for prioritized delivery of their products to end users. To prevent harm  to competition and consumers from these and other related types of conduct,  some have advocated network neutrality regulation that would require equal  treatment of all Internet traffic.
      In response, opponents of network neutrality have argued that such  regulation would have adverse consequences for innovation and competition in  the market for broadband access by, among other things, making it more  difficult for ISPs and other network operators to recoup their investments in  broadband networks. Opponents also have argued that such regulation is  unnecessary because: 1) to date there is insufficient evidence of harm to competition  or consumers to warrant such regulation; 2) competitive conditions in the  market for broadband access will protect consumers from the harm anticipated by  net neutrality proponents; and 3) the antitrust and consumer protection laws,  as well as FCC oversight, are sufficient to address any harms that may arise.
      The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held at the FTC’s  satellite building conference center, located at 601 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Washington,   DC Members of the public and press  who wish to participate but who cannot attend can view a live Webcast of the  workshop on the FTC’s Web site. For admittance to the conference center, all  attendees will be required to show a valid form of photo identification, such  as a driver’s license. Pre-registration is not necessary, but is encouraged. To  pre-register, please e-mail your name and affiliation to broadbandprereg at ftc.gov.
      The FTC staff will identify and invite individuals with relevant expertise  to participate as panelists at the workshop. The staff also may invite  self-nominees to be workshop panelists. Panelist applications should be  submitted electronically to broadbandpanelists at ftc.gov  on or before January 15, 2007. The FTC asks interested parties to include a  statement detailing their expertise on the issues to be addressed at the  workshop and complete contact information. Panelists selected to participate  will be notified by February 1, 2007.
      Any person may submit written comments on the topics to be addressed at the  workshop. Comments must be received on or before February 28, 2007. For further  information about the workshop and for specific information on sending  comments, pre-registering, participating as a panelist, the workshop agenda,  and contact information, please consult the FTC Web site at http://www.ftc.gov/opp/workshops/broadband/index.html.
      MEDIA CONTACT:
      Claudia Bourne Farrell,
  Office of Public Affairs
  202-326-2181
      STAFF CONTACT:
      Maureen K. Ohlhausen,
  Office of Policy Planning
  202-326-2632
       
    

=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
Cybertelecom :: Federal Internet Law & Policy  
            www.cybertelecom.org

WOCKEY WIKI - Washington Hockey Wiki
wockey.stikipad.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.lawlists.net/pipermail/cybertelecom-announce/attachments/20061208/28a7f55f/attachment.html