*This event is by invitation only.

Since the passage of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, policymakers have envisioned a robust competition among communications providers to bring voice, data and video to the home. In 1996 it was thought to be inter-modal competition that would spur the market: telephone and cable competing among themselves. Five years ago, the Federal Communications Commission issued its National Broadband Plan, which had its own vision of the broadband future. Today, with the delivery of over-the-top video, games, apps, big data and other content via broadband, the extensive use of cloud and now fog computing and the coming advent of next generation networks, the old definitions and visions of market may need significant revision.

Accordingly, this Aspen Institute conference will address what are the right or adequate competitive models for the coming generation of communications regulation. Before Congress rewrites the Communications Act, what kind of competition do we envision and want? What is the role of government in getting us there, and in regulating the field before the competitive vision is achieved?

The Conference on Communications and Policy will address what are the right or adequate competitive models for the coming generation of communications regulation.