Predicting the Unpredictable - The FCC and the Future of Telecommunications and the Internet David J. Farber Alfred Fitler Moore Professor of Telecommunication University of Pennsylvania And Co-Director of the Penn Initiative for Markets, Technology and Policy

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level The FCC What is the structure of the FCC –The Former Chairman

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level The Staff

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level How are decisions made The FCC is directed by five Commissioners appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for 5-year terms, except when filling an unexpired term. The President designates one of the Commissioners to serve as Chairperson. Only three Commissioners may be members of the same political party. None of them can have a financial interest in any Commission-related business.

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level The “new” era The new Chairman of the Commission –Mike Powell What are the critical issues they face –Spectrum, spectrum, spectrum –Unbundling –Economic relationships –The internet!!

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level Politics 101 USA –Will the internet escape regulation –The reality of inside the beltway –Security and privacy may be the wedge –The legacy businesses -- will they “give up”

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level We Are at the Beginning of a Great Change The next 10 years will be as wild as the last 25 Technology will change dramatically –All optical nets –Wireless of many varieties –Communicating computers everywhere

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level The Real Next Generation -- Optical Networks Implications –Protocols IP? –Processor architecture –Software systems Will it be a fully distributed system -- back to the past

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level Likely Future (2) Megabits to the home and in the home –XDSL, –Cable, –Wireless –Fastweb A challenge to the establishment -- the carriers

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level Broadband Access Will it be open? What does that really mean Why worry

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level Mobility Next generation –3g Claims lots of new services Good data rates but at what cost Spectrum!! And costs –Bluetooth, and the like How long can it exist in the chaos of unlicensed space Should the FCC establish room for semi-licensed –The Electronic Bill of Rights for Radios

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level Security and Availability Will Be the Drivers The current internet is vulnerable Points of potential vulnerability –Service protocols –Commercial arrangements –Old software –Hard to design security in after the fact

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level Technology Is Easy -- Society Is Rough Show stoppers or at least slowers

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level The Next* Generation Internet -- Citizens We are at a cross road It could evolve to a TV structure for the citizens –Limited program availability -- just more TV and shopping –It could be Snowcrash

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level Digital Divide Will we be two nations? Will we be two worlds? How and why must we bridge the gap

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level Nation States Taxes Culture Rights

Click to edit Master title style Click to edit Master text styles –Second Level Third Level –Fourth Level »Fifth Level Individuals Privacy 1984 fears –Big government –Big brother –Big business