Boosting Broadband Competition
Why Special Access is so Special
Event
High-capacity broadband lines power our digital economy, connecting our banks, retailers, schools, libraries and hospitals. Whether we’re making payments at a small business, using a smartphone for calls and Internet access, or withdrawing money at a local ATM, high-capacity data lines (also known as Special Access) controlled by a handful of big companies determine the cost and competitiveness of broadband connectivity.
Thanks to the largest, most comprehensive data collection in its history, the FCC now understands the extent of the significant market power enjoyed by a few wireline backhaul carriers. The failure of this market costs businesses billions of dollars every year, imposing huge annual costs on consumers and the U.S. economy. The FCC is expected to propose and adopt reforms to this critical market for interconnection and backhaul this spring.
At this event Dr. Mark Cooper of the Consumer Federation of America will release a new white paper entitled the Special Problem of Special Access. The report is part of a project being conducted for the Roosevelt Institute – Overcharged and Underserved – to evaluate the impact of 50 years of public policy in the communications network industries that deliver voice, video and data services.
Following Dr. Cooper, a panel of experts will discuss the importance of competition in the critical high-speed broadband market and what we can expect to see from the FCC’s long-awaited release of the market data.
Lunch will be served.
Follow the conversation online using #BoostBroadband and by following @OTI.
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Mark Cooper
Research Director, Consumer Federation of America
Participants:
Angie KronenbergChief Advocate and General Counsel, INCOMPAS
Charles McKee
Vice President, Government Affairs, Federal & State Regulatory, Sprint
John Windhausen
Executive Director, Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition (SHLB)
Phillip Berenbroick
Counsel, Government Affairs, Public Knowledge
Moderator:
Sarah MorrisSenior Counsel and Director of Open Internet Policy, Open Technology Institute at New America