Pervasive Connectivity Forum: Open Airwaves, Open Networks October 21, 2008

NOTE: You must RSVP at this link (not just on Upcoming) by October 17 to attend.

As Internet access moves increasingly to mobile platforms, control over access to the public airwaves will determine whether wireless broadband networks are closed, costly and channelized - or open, affordable and innovative.

The conventional wisdom in Washington is that spectrum is scarce and must be auctioned as exclusive licenses. The reality is that emerging technologies and business models allow shared, opportunistic and unlicensed access to an abundance of bandwidth for all.

This forum will review the technologies and policy debates at the center of this battle over the airwaves. The FCC will decide this fall whether to open the vacant TV channels in each market for shared, unlicensed use. But there is far more unused "white space" across the spectrum that can be unlocked with 'smart' radios and smarter policies. Among the benefits of open spectrum is more open networks - as well as facilitating a movement toward community networking that can greatly narrow digital divides in rural and disadvantaged areas.

This policy forum is co-sponsored by Google and the New America Foundation/Wireless Future Program.

PLEASE NOTE: Your RSVP must be received by October 17 and on the day of the event you will need to sign-in at building 43.

Agenda

9:30 am - Registration

10:00 am - Welcome

10:15 am - Open Airwaves: Technologies & Policies for Opportunistic Spectrum Sharing
– Michael Calabrese – Director, Wireless Future Program, New America Foundation
– Paul Kolodzy – Kolodzy Consulting, Former Chair, FCC Spectrum Policy Task Force
– Mark McHenry – CEO and Founder, Shared Spectrum Co.

11:00 am - Open Networks: Technologies & Policies for Consumer Choice and Innovation
– Tim Wu – Professor, Columbia Law School & Chairman, Free Press
– Larry Alder – Google
– Sascha Meinrath – Research Director, Wireless Future Program, New America Foundation

11:45 am - Community Networking: Digital Inclusion, Unwired
– Rey Ramsey – CEO & Co-Founder, One Economy Corp
– Mark Ansboury – SVP & Chief Technology Officer, OneCommunity

12:30 pm - Closing Remarks: Implications for 2009 Policy Agenda

12:45 pm - Lunch & Tech Demo in No Name Café

Official Website: http://www.newamerica.net/events/2008/pervasive_connectivity