|
A Cryptome DVD is offered by Cryptome. Donate $25 for a DVD of the Cryptome 11-years archives of 41,000 files from June 1996 to June 2007 (~4.4 GB). Click Paypal or mail check/MO made out to John Young, 251 West 89th Street, New York, NY 10024. Archives include all files of cryptome.org, jya.com, cartome.org, eyeball-series.org and iraq-kill-maim.org. Cryptome offers with the Cryptome DVD an INSCOM DVD of about 18,000 pages of counter-intelligence dossiers declassified by the US Army Information and Security Command, dating from 1945 to 1985. No additional contribution required -- $25 for both. The DVDs will be sent anywhere worldwide without extra cost. |
19 October 2007
[Federal Register: October 17, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 200)]
[Notices]
[Page 58885-58887]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17oc07-91]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Public Symposium: Voice, Video and Broadband: The Changing
Competitive Landscape and Its Impact on Consumers
AGENCY: Antitrust Division, Department of Justice.
ACTION: Notice of Symposium and call for written submissions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On November 29, 2007, the Department of Justice Antitrust
Division (``Antitrust Division'') will host a public symposium on
``Voice, Video and Broadband: The Changing Competitive Landscape and
Its Impact on Consumers.'' The symposium will address issues related to
competition in the provision of voice, video and broadband Internet
access, focusing on consumer services and the impact of convergence
between traditionally distinct lines of activity such as video
delivery, landline telephony, and wireless services.
The event is open to the public. There is no fee for attendance.
Preregistration is not necessary to attend but is strongly encouraged
to facilitate space and other planning for the event. Preregistration
is requested by November 16, 2007. To preregister, send your name,
affiliation and e-mail address to 2007TelecomSymposium@usdoj.gov and
refer to ``Preregistration'' in the subject line of the message.
Additional information about the symposium will be posted on the
DOJ Web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/workshops/telecom2007/index.htm
(``symposium Web site'').
Date: Thursday, November 29, 2007.
Time: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Place: Ronald Reagan Building, Horizon Room, 1300 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. All
[[Page 58886]]
attendees will be required to show a valid form of photo
identification, such as a driver's license, to be admitted.
Submission of Relevant Information: Any person may make a written
submission in paper or electronic form on the topics to be discussed as
described below under Supplementary Information. Studies, surveys,
research and empirical data are especially useful. Any submissions must
be received on or before November 13, 2007. Such material will be made
available for review by panelists, may be made available at the
Antitrust Division's discretion to the public on the Internet or
through other means, and may be used in any summary of the symposium.
Participation as a speaker at the symposium is by invitation of the
Department of Justice only.
Paper submissions should clearly refer to ``Voice, Video and
Broadband: The Changing Competitive Landscape and Its Impact on
Consumers'' in the text and on the envelope. An original and two
complete copies should be mailed or delivered to: United States
Department of Justice, Antitrust Division, City Center Building Suite
8000, Attention: Ashley Becker, 1401 H Street, NW., Washington, DC
20530.
Electronic submissions should be sent to
2007TelecomSymposium@usdoj.gov with a reference to ``Submission'' in
the subject line of the message. Electronic submissions by e-mail
should not exceed 10 MB with attachments. Alternatively, submissions
may be made on media such as CDs and sent to the address listed above
for paper submissions. Use of a courier service is recommended to avoid
possible damage to electronic media in screening. If you make an
electronic submission using PDF format, please include a comparable
text version in a separate file (such as Word or WordPerfect).
All submissions received by the Division will be made part of the
public record. Submissions and the identity of the submitter may be
disclosed, reproduced and distributed by publication and/or posting on
the Antitrust Division Web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/workshops/telecom2007/index.htm.
Information submitted in connection
with this symposium will not be maintained as confidential by the
Department of Justice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ashley Becker, Department of Justice,
Antitrust Division, City Center Building Suite 8000, 1401 H Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20530, telephone (202) 514-5835. Additional
information on the symposium will also be posted on the symposium Web
site.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Symposium Goals
The telecommunications industry has been experiencing significant
technological, economic, and regulatory changes in the decade since the
passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. In particular,
telecommunications services provided to consumers, including voice
telephony and broadband data, have increasingly come to be provided by
competing facilities-based alternatives. Cable television systems have
been entering residential voice telephony services in much of the
United States over the past few years, relying heavily on Voice over
Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. In addition, some telephone
carriers have begun to compete in the delivery of multichannel video
programming with traditional incumbent cable systems and satellite-
based delivery. There is widespread discussion of other possible
alternatives for delivery of telecommunications and video services to
consumers, including wireless and broadband over power lines. Voice
telephony, broadband and multichannel video programming services are
frequently offered to consumers as bundles, often at discounts from
stand-alone services.
At the same time, concerns are sometimes expressed about remaining
barriers to entry into the delivery of telecommunications and video
programming services. Such barriers--whether arising from regulatory
restrictions, conduct of established providers, or inherent economic
and technical limitations--may tend to restrict the degree of
competitiveness of these services. The Department has recently
advocated various regulatory and legal changes that will make entry
into video programming delivery and telephone services more likely.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ See, e.g., Proposed Modifications to the Application Form
for Approval of Authority to Offer, Render, Furnish or Supply
Telecommunications Services to the Public in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Docket No. M-
00960799, Comments of the United States Department of Justice (filed
March 27, 2007) (recommending reform of Pennsylvania's procedures
for certification of competitors to provide facilities-based
telephony services in rural areas to promote more rapid entry); In
the Matter of Implementation of section 621(a)(1) of the Cable
Communications Policy Act of 1984 as amended by the Cable Television
Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992, Federal
Communications Commission, MM Docket No. 05-311, Ex Parte Submission
of the Department of Justice (May 10, 2006) (requesting the FCC to
address what would constitute an ``unreasonable refusal'' by a local
franchising authority to award a competitive video franchise, and
expressing concern about certain practices such as build-out
requirements). Other actions taken by the Department of Justice are
referenced on the symposium Web site.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Antitrust Division will host a symposium on Thursday, November
29, 2007, in Washington, DC, to provide a forum for discussion of the
current status of competition in telecommunications services and video
programming delivery, the prospects for additional competition, and
whether regulatory changes or other government action would promote
more competition. The symposium will be structured around four panel
discussions focused on the topics below.
Morning Session: Cable TV and Telephone Company Competition
Consumers are beginning to benefit from new facilities-based
competition. Cable television systems are beginning to offer voice
telephony in addition to video and broadband, and telephone companies
are beginning to offer video in addition to voice and broadband. How
widespread is this facilities-based competition now, and how extensive
is it likely to become? What regulatory or other obstacles do entrants
still face? What are the ramifications for competition and antitrust
analysis of this entry and how has bundling impacted the nature of
competition?
Panel I: Entry Into Multichannel Video Services
Issues: This panel will explore whether there are significant
regulatory (federal, state and local) or other constraints on video
entry and how competition has changed as a result of the telephone
companies' entry into offering video services. How widely are telephone
company video services likely to be offered in the future? How have
telecommunications entry and bundling affected competition?
Panel II: Entry Into Telecommunications Services
Issues: This panel will explore whether there are significant
regulatory (federal, state and local) or other constraints on voice
entry and how competition has changed as a result of the cable
companies' entry into telephony. To what extent are various modes of
entry used now and how likely are they to be used in the future? Are
there areas unlikely to see competition? What effect have subsidies had
on competition? How have entry by cable TV companies and bundling
affected competition?
[[Page 58887]]
Afternoon Session: Alternative Technologies To Reach the Consumer
Some observers have predicted that most telecommunications and
entertainment services will at some point be delivered to all consumers
over a single connection to their homes. Will consumers have a wide
selection of alternative providers for that connection?
Panel III: Wireless Technologies
Issues: This panel will focus on the extent to which wireless
broadband systems are current and future competitive alternatives to
cable modems and DSL. What regulatory or other issues could delay
rollout? What are the prospects for municipal broadband networks? How
are these advanced wireless services likely to impact competition?
Panel IV: Other Technologies Including Satellite, Broadband Over Power
Line
Issues: This panel will focus on whether other technologies such as
satellite and broadband over power lines can compete for customers.
What is the current and predicted subscriber base for these services,
and what is necessary to attract more subscribers and providers? Will
these services be competitive everywhere or only in limited geographic
areas or for certain types of customers?
Privacy Notice: Those who preregister for the symposium must supply
their name, affiliation and e-mail address to the Antitrust Division.
The Department of Justice is permitted by law to collect this contact
information to consider and use for the stated purpose. Under the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or other laws, we may be required to
disclose the information you provide us to outside organizations. In
addition, all timely and responsive submissions, whether filed in paper
or electronic form, may be made publicly available at http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/workshops/telecom2007/index.htm.
While DOJ
makes certain efforts, in its discretion, to remove home contact and
other personally identifying information for individuals from the
public submissions it receives before placing those submissions on its
Web site, persons making submissions are responsible for ensuring that
these do not contain any information that they are unwilling to have
disclosed to the public. For additional information, including routine
uses permitted by the Privacy Act, see the DOJ Web site privacy policy
at http://www.usdoj.gov/privacy-file.htm.
Dated: October 10, 2007.
Thomas O. Barnett,
Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division.
[FR Doc. E7-20478 Filed 10-16-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-11-P