NYC LOCAL: Friday 6 March 2009: A 25th Anniversary Assessment of the Break Up of ATT

[secretary]

<blockquote
  what="official announcement, with extra information from Evan Korth"
  sponsors="Internet Society New York Chapter
            http://www.isoc-ny.org
            Open Infrastructure Alliance
            http://www.newnetworks.com";
  personal-remark="The speakers are extraordinary."
  more="http://25thanniversaryofthebreakupofatt.blogspot.com";>

 Event: A 25th Anniversary Assessment of the Break Up of AT&T, March 6th, 2009

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 24th, 2009
 (contact info below)

 Has Divestiture Worked?
 A 25th Anniversary Assessment of the Break Up of AT&T.

 DATE: FRIDAY, MARCH 6th, 2009 TIME: 6PM-9PM
 LOCATION: New York University, Warren Weaver Hall (251 Mercer), Room
 109
 PRICE:  ADMISSION IS FREE. (RSVP requested, rsvp@bway.net)

 In 1984, AT&T, then the largest company in the U.S., was broken
 up because of the monopoly controls "Ma Bell" had over
 telecommunications. Known as "Divestiture", we have reached the
 25th anniversary of the AT&T breakup and it is time to look
 carefully and critically at the deregulation of
 telecommunications to evaluate the effectiveness of this
 important economic policy.

 Open Infrastructure Alliance, (OIA) together with the Internet
 Society, (ISOC) New York chapter, is convening a series of panels
 to dialog on the deregulation of the telecommunications industry.
 Among the key issues to be considered are:

 . Has divestiture worked?  A careful examination of the
   consequences of divestiture and deregulation over the last 25
   years.
     
 . America is ranked 15th in the world in broadband.  What role
   does America's closed broadband networks (e.g., Verizon's FiOS
   and AT&T's U-Verse) play in such a ranking?  Do closed networks
   fulfill last mile requirements of the Telecom Act of 1996?
     
 . The Obama administration and Congress have put together a
   massive economic stimulus package, including broadband
   infrastructure projects. Does this new legislation address the
   major issues or are other steps necessary?
        
 The dialogue will assess whether deregulation has helped or
 harmed America's digital future.  What role should a new,
 reconstituted FCC play?  What policies and programs are needed to
 make America #1 again in technology, broadband and the Internet?

 Confirmed Speakers:(More to Come)

 . Tom Allibone, LTC Consulting
 . Jonathan Askin, Esq, Brooklyn Law School
 . Dave Burstein, DSL Prime
 . Frank A. Coluccio, Cirrant Partners Inc
 . Mark Cooper, Consumer Federation of America
 . Alex Goldman, ISP Planet
 . Fred Goldstein, Ionary Consulting
 . Bruce Kushnick, New Networks Institute
 . Dean Landsman, Landsman Communications Group
 . Scott McCollough, Esq.
 . Joe Plotkin, Bway.net
 . David Rosen, Consultant
 . Dana Spiegel, NYCwireless

 Market:
 . A 25 year analysis of the Age of the Bell companies.
 . How did America become 15th in the world in broadband?
 . What is the role of the cable and phone companies?
 . What happened to the price of phone service?
 . Is wireless overtaking wireline services?

 Regulation:

 . Has deregulation helped or harmed the America's digital future?
 . How do we deal with corporate controls over the FCC,
   or should we scrap the FCC?
 . How do we fund and create open, ubiquitous, high-speed networks?
 . What should happen next with wireless services?
 . What is the status of competition today,
   and what needs to be changed for the future?
 . What applications are going to drive the next generation?
 . Is it time for another divestiture or other regulatory changes?

 For More Information:
 Joe Plotkin
 T: 646-502-9796
 E: bwayjoe@bway.net        
 Internet Society, NY Chapter
 E: president@isoc-ny.org
  
</blockquote>


Distributed poC TINC:

Jay Sulzberger <secretary@lxny.org>
Corresponding Secretary LXNY
LXNY is New York's Free Computing Organization.
http://www.lxny.org