Google presents: Open Airwaves, Open Networks
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 new technologies and business models are emerging that 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.
Pervasive Connectivity: Open Airwaves, Open Networks
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
10:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch will be provided.
Google, Building 43, Tunis Room
1600 Amphitheater Parkway
Mountain View, CA
(Directions: www.newamerica.net/files/
RSVP online at: www.newamerica.net/events/
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
Product Manager, 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
Sascha Meinrath
Research Director, Wireless Future Program, New America Foundation
12:30 pm - Implications for 2009 Policy Agenda
Andrew Jay Schwartzman
President & CEO, Media Access Project
12:45 pm - Lunch & Tech Demo in No Name Café
This policy forum is co-sponsored by Google and the New America Foundation/Wireless Future Program.
All RSVPs for this must be received by October 17:
http://www.newamerica.net/
For questions, contact Liz Wu at (202) 986-2700 x 315 or
wu@newamerica.net <mailto:wu@newamerica.net>
