PAST EVENT
Monday, October 17, 2011
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC
On October 17, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a conversation exploring the wireless broadband policies needed to provide isolated communities with access to essential economic and social benefits. Moderated by Darrell West, vice president and director of Governance Studies, experts from the technology, business and policy arenas discussed how to leverage the full potential of broadband access to spur economic growth. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jeffrey Rosen, August 2011, The Brookings Institution
Growth in demand for wireless services has sparked a boom in the mobile phone and wireless data sector, writes Jeffrey Rosen. However, without more spectrum allocated to wireless Internet connectivity, America risks short-circuiting the mobile broadband revolution. Rosen surveys the FCC’s proposed solutions in the National Broadband Plan and examines the politics surrounding unlocking additional wireless spectrum. Read More
PAST EVENT
Thursday, May 05, 2011
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Washington, DC
Closing the “digital divide” – the gap between society’s tech-enabled haves and have-nots – hinges on enhancing the quality and breadth of consumer access to digital and information technology in areas such as education, employment, health care, news and entertainment. On May 5, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a forum on innovative solutions that the government can implement to expand citizen access to digital and information technology, focusing on spectrum policies. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jeffrey Rosen, April 2011, The Brookings Institution
To close funding gaps and to improve accessibility, the National Broadband Plan proposes to transform the Universal Service Fund – a subsidy program that spends $8.7 billion every year to develop infrastructure and improve affordability for telephone service – into a program that would do the same for broadband Internet. Jeffrey Rosen evaluates various proposed reforms to the Universal Service Fund and their likelihood of coming to fruition. Read More
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Washington, DC
On March 30, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a forum on wireless spectrum’s role in advancing economic growth and innovation, focused on identifying a concrete policy framework. Moderated by Governance Studies Director Darrell West, a panel of experts including James Cicconi, senior executive vice president for external and legislative affairs at AT&T; Blair Levin, communications and society fellow at the Aspen Institute; and Brookings Senior Fellow Adele Morris discussed the wireless spectrum’s vital contribution to the current economic recovery and a path toward future domestic growth. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Robert Matheson and Adele Morris, March 03, 2011, The Brookings Institution
Rapidly evolving technology and increasing demands for wireless services mean the current regulatory structure for the allocation of wireless frequencies is increasingly poorly suited to optimizing the distribution of the spectrum. Robert Matheson and Adele Morris describe a conceptual framework to articulate clear rights of access to spectrum in a way that fosters a market-based allocation of the resource. Read More
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
2:30 PM to 4:00 PM
Washington, DC
Recent research finds that demand for mobile broadband could outpace the amount of available wireless spectrum in the United States in three years. On October 20, the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings hosted a forum on the wireless spectrum and its role in advancing mobile technology growth and innovation. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Darrell M. West, September 08, 2010, The Huffington Post
While visiting Seoul, South Korea for the inaugural general assembly of the World e-Government Organization, Darrell West finds that there is much to be learned from the city government's technology infrastructure. West writes that Seoul is setting a tremendous example for public officials in other countries by enabling citizen engagement, public transparency and social collaboration. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Darrell M. West, August 16, 2010, The Brookings Institution
Google and Verizon recently announced a “legislative framework” for Internet regulation that some critics say could put an end to net neutrality, or the openness of the Internet, by creating a two-tiered data system. In a recent video, Senior Fellow Darrell West takes a look at net neutrality and the Google-Verizon plan. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Darrell M. West, August 09, 2010, Bloomberg News
Darrell West comments on the recent Verizon-Google joint policy proposal on handling Internet traffic, and what it means for the Federal Communications Commission. In the proposal, Internet service will be open to the possibility of multi-tier pricing. Read More
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Washington, DC
Congress charged the Federal Communications Commission last year with developing a national broadband plan designed to provide affordable and accessible broadband service. Brookings hosted a policy forum to assess the FCC’s plan and explore key questions, including: Does it achieve the objectives set forth by Congress? Does it advance the public interest? Does it provide affordable and accessible broadband? Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
11:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Washington, DC
As part of its development of a strategy to expand high-speed Internet service throughout the United States, the Federal Communications Commission commissioned a survey to determine broadband adoption rates, the public’s attitudes about broadband, and reasons why people may not subscribe to broadband. On February 23, the FCC unveiled the new survey findings at an event sponsored by Brookings. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Darrell M. West, February 2010, The Brookings Institution
In the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the U.S. Congress charged the Federal Communications Commission with developing a national broadband policy. Darrell West examines what other countries are doing in terms of broadband applications, to inform the process of developing a U.S. broadband policy that is efficient, effective and affordable, and that recognizes the central role that digital infrastructure plays in economic, social and civic development. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Robert Puentes, February 04, 2010, The Brookings Institution
When it comes to infrastructure, President Obama faces a tricky balancing act. On one side he needs to invest in the kind of infrastructure that the nation needs to remain competitive and put us on the path to a low-carbon future. On the other he has to operate in a constrained fiscal environment with programs that are in fundamental need of reform. Read More
PAST EVENT
Monday, November 09, 2009
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC
Broadband and wireless technologies are key elements of our nation’s economic, social and civic development. With the Federal Communications Commission’s stated goals of bringing broadband access to all Americans, it is crucial to determine how to be innovative when investing in broadband infrastructure. On November 9, the Brookings Institution hosted a policy forum to examine this issue and to discuss ways to overcome barriers to developing this infrastructure. Read More