Phoenix Center's 2007 Annual U.S. Telecoms Symposium

On November 28, 2007, nearly 100 people from government, academia and industry joined the Phoenix Center for its Annual U.S. Telecoms Symposium in Washington, D.C. This year’s Symposium theme was “Constructing a Coherent Policy Framework for the Future” and the discussions were both substantive and lively.

The first panel of the Symposium kicked-off with the traditional “economists’ panel.” This year, the “economists’ panel” included Dr. John Mayo, Professor of Economics – Georgetown University; Dr. Tim Brennan, Professor of Public Policy and Economics – UMBC; Dr. Greg Crawford, Chief Economist – Federal Communications Commission; and Dr. George Ford, Chief Economist – The Phoenix Center. As always, the panel was moderated by Jerry Duvall, Honorary Phoenix Center Chief Economist Emeritus, and current FCC International Bureau Chief Economist.

The second panel, moderated by Phoenix Center Resident Scholar Thomas M. Koutsky, was entitled International Comparisons and Broadband Mapping: Deconstructing “Rankings”. Panelists included the Honorable David A. Gross, Ambassador, U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy – Department of State; Timothy Powderly, Majority Counsel – House Energy & Commerce Committee; Dr. Robert D. Atkinson, President – Information Technology and Innovation Foundation; and Laura Taylor, Vice President of Research – Connected Nation.

The last panel of the day, moderated by new Phoenix Center Adjunct Fellow, the Hon. Connie Hughes, focused on Shaping the Contours of a New Wireless Policy Framework. Panelists for this lively discussion included the Hon. Steve Largent, President and CEO – CTIA; Kathleen Wallman, Beauxcrest Creative & Analytics; Thomas J. Sugrue, Vice President, Government Affairs – T-Mobile USA, Inc. and Robert Quinn, Senior Vice President for Federal Regulatory Affairs – AT&T.

Following the various panels, we were extremely privileged to welcome FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin as the keynote speaker of the Symposium. Chairman Martin used this opportunity to set forth his views on a variety of issues facing the Commission and discussed the Phoenix Center’s contributions extensively in his presentation.

The Symposium ended with the presentation of the Phoenix Center’s Annual Jerry B. Duvall Public Service Award to the FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate. The Duvall Award does not seek to recognize the recipient’s personal politics; rather, the Duvall Award goes to the policymaker who most demonstrated the “political courage in, and contribution of analytical rigor to, the United States telecoms restructuring debate.” Given Commissioner Tate’s hard work to move the ball forward on the always contentious Universal Service debate, we could think of no one who epitomized the Duvall Award’s criteria more in 2007.

Available Presentations:

Faculty Bios
[pdf]

Robert Atkinson, President - ITIF: U.S Broadband Rankings
[ppt]

Tim Brennan, Professor - UMBC: Making a Molehill out of a Mountain: A (Very) Modest Net Neutrality Idea
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Gregory S. Crawford - Chief Economist, Federal Communications Commission: Reverse Auctions for High-Cost Universal Service Support
[ppt]

John W. Mayo - Professor, Georgetown University: Congruity and Incongruity in the Evolving Telecommunications Industry
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George Ford - Chief Economist, The Phoenix Center: Investment Basics and Policy: R&D and Communications Networks
[ppt]

Remarks of Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate Upon Receiving the Jerry Duvall Public Service Award
[pdf]

Statement of the Honorable Marsha Blackburn (TN-07) on Commissioner Tate’s Receiving Phoenix Center Duvall Award
[pdf]

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