For the past few years the telecommunications scene has been dominated by battles over interpretations of the Telecom Act of 1996. A new focus of discussions appears to be the objective of making broadband services faster and more widely available. What role should public policy play in encouraging—or not discouraging—investments that will support these new technologies?

The conference begins with a one-on-one interview, followed by questions from the floor, with pivotal FCC commissioner Kevin Martin. The first panel focuses on technology and the new telecom frontier. David Dorman, CEO of AT&T Corp., will be the keynote speaker at the luncheon, and the afternoon panel will discuss what economic variables drive investment in telecom.