The existing high-cost fund suffers from two inherent flaws: it does not incorporate how much consumers value the services being subsidized, and does not measure the incremental, rather than average, effects of the program. This paper proposes a way to incorporate those factors into the Connect America Fund�the proposed high-cost broadband support program�to enable it to operate more efficiently than the existing high-cost program ever could.
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CAF Should Incorporate Cost-Effectiveness in Subsidy Distribution
The proposed Connect America Fund intended to provide broadband to high-cost areas should abandon a cost-based approach in favor of a value-based approach in which subsidies depend on whether the incremental benefits are worth the cost, argues Scott Wallsten in “How to Create a More Efficient CAF by Incorporating Demand and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis,” released today by the Technology Policy Institute. A cost-effectiveness analysis focused on willingness to pay and incremental effects can ensure the CAF is more efficient than the current universal service high-cost fund.
The Role of Government in Promoting R&D, Testimony before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Senator Hatch, and members of the Committee for inviting me to testify here today. My name is Scott Wallsten, and I am vice president for research and senior fellow at the Technology Policy Institute as well as a senior policy fellow at the Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy.
Permanent Tax Credit Needed to Boost Research and Development
Government funding for research and development should focus on activities that would not happen otherwise to avoid crowding out private sources of funding, stated Scott Wallsten in testimony today before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. During the hearing, “Tax Reform Options: Incentives for Innovation,” Wallsten suggested that a permanent tax credit for qualified R&D would help stimulate additional innovation in the private sector.
Event – Online Search, Antitrust and Google: In Search of a Pro-Consumer Policy
Tech companies that become dominant inevitably come into the antitrust cross-hairs. Google is the latest example and is now the subject of investigations in both the U.S. and Europe over allegations it has abused its dominant position in online search and other businesses. At “Online Search, Antitrust and Google: In Search of a Pro-Consumer Policy,” hosted by the Technology Policy Institute, a distinguished group of experts will discuss the complex issues the antitrust agencies must address in their review of Google. Topics will include market definition, market power, existence and effects of “search bias”, the availability of effective remedies, and, ultimately, what is in the consumer’s best interest.
Event – Online Search, Antitrust and Google: In Search of a Pro-Consumer Policy
Tech companies that become dominant inevitably come into the antitrust cross-hairs. Google is the latest example and is now the subject of investigations in both the U.S. and Europe over allegations it has abused its dominant position in online search and other businesses. At “Online Search, Antitrust and Google: In Search of a Pro-Consumer Policy,” hosted by the Technology Policy Institute, a distinguished group of experts will discuss the complex issues the antitrust agencies must address in their review of Google. Topics will include market definition, market power, existence and effects of “search bias”, the availability of effective remedies, and, ultimately, what is in the consumer’s best interest.
TPI Aspen Forum Videos Now Available
Webcasts are now available of the discussion panels and keynote speakers at the Technology Policy Institute Aspen Forum. TPI’s Aspen Forum brought together notable representatives from business, government, and academia in a relaxed, informal setting to discuss and debate the key public policy issues surrounding information and communications technology.
Aspen Panel: Cybersecurity – Public and Private Roles
The vast majority of the Internet’s critical infrastructure is operated by the private sector, but government still has a critical leadership role to play in supporting comprehensive cybersecurity readiness. The panel, “Cybersecurity – Public and Private Roles,” at the TPI Aspen Forum will examine the respective roles of government and the private sector in safeguarding the Internet against the mounting threats of cyber crime and cyber terrorism.
Prabhu of AT&T Labs to Keynote Aspen Forum
Krish Prabhu, President and CEO of AT&T Labs has been added as a keynote speaker at the TPI Aspen Forum, scheduled for August 21 – 23 in Aspen, Colorado. Prabhu leads one of the world’s premier research institutions, dedicated to advancing the science and technology of communications and information.
Aspen Panel: Watching the Future: The Economic Implications of Online Video
Online video is the most bandwidth-intensive use of the Internet for millions of users, and its growth shows no signs of slowing. This rapid growth has potentially far-reaching implications for broad swaths of the economy, including both last-mile Internet providers and content producers. Speakers at the TPI Aspen Forum panel, “Watching the Future: The Economic Implications of Online Video,” will discuss these potential implications and the future of content delivery. The TPI Aspen Forum is scheduled for August 21 – 23 in Aspen, Colorado.