Media Contact:
Carrie Conko
Director of Communications
Mercatus Center at George Mason University
Office: 703-993-4899
Email: cconko@gmu.edu
Telecom Policy in the Golden State
| Start: | Thursday, July 13, 2006 12:00 PM |
| End: | Thursday, July 13, 2006 01:30 PM |
| Location: | CSAC Conference Center |
To register, please contact Robyn Wapner at 703-993-8262 or rwapner@gmu.edu.
The past decade has produced dramatic changes in the telecommunications industry. The emergence and diffusion of new technologies and a changing corporate landscape have challenged the existing federal and state regulatory frameworks and caused many policymakers to call for major reforms in telecommunications policy.
California is one of several states considering significant changes to the way state and local governments regulate telecommunications products and services. Most recently, Sacramento has become the focal point of a national debate on the topic of video franchising.
This session will explore the economic implications of telecommunications technology, competition, and the changing regulatory structure for California’s consumers. Discussion will highlight economic principles relevant to cable and video franchise policy and draw upon those principles to examine other timely telecommunications issues in California.
Participants will address such questions as:
- What does economic research tell us about the effects of cable competition, franchise fees, and video regulatory mandates?
- How can the economic principles used to analyze the video debate also illuminate other aspects of California telecommunications policy?
- What can economics teach us about the most effective way for federal, state, and local governments to share regulatory authority over the telecommunications industry?
- How effective have telecommunications regulations been in achieving their desired outcomes?
