Congress is writing major climate change legislation that includes a cap-and-trade program as well as renewable electricity and efficiency mandates. Cap-and-trade represents a market-based approach designed to leave choices about least-cost ways of achieving climate-change policy goals to individual producers and consumers. Renewable electricity and efficiency standards prescribe specific approaches. Are these policies consistent with each other? How should they be combined? TPI has assembled a group of experts to discuss these issues.
Press Releases
U.S. Broadband Market Working Well Overall, But Gaps Remain
The broadband market in the U.S. is working well overall, as evidenced by nearly ubiquitous coverage, rapid adoption, large investments, and increasing speeds, according to comments submitted to the FCC regarding a national broadband plan by TPI Vice President for Research and Senior Fellow Scott Wallsten and Oxford Visiting Senior Fellow Robert Hahn. However, the market is not working well for all people in all places, and Hahn and Wallsten offer two general and seven specific recommendations to address those issues.
Lenard and White File ICANN Comments with NTIA
Thomas Lenard and Lawrence J. White submitted their recent study, “ICANN at a Crossroads: A Proposal for Better Governance and Performance,” to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The submission was in response to NTIA’s Notice of Inquiry on the upcoming expiration of the Joint Project Agreement (JPA) with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ICANN). Lenard is President and Senior Fellow at TPI; White is Arthur E. Imperatore Professor of Economics at NYU’s Stern School of Business.
Lenard Testifies on ICANN Reform
ICANN should be reformed “in a way that makes it truly accountable and clearly defines its scope of operations,” according to testimony delivered by TPI president and senior fellow Thomas Lenard at a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet. Lenard said, “The expiration of the Joint Project Agreement (JPA) with the Department of Commerce this September provides a much-needed opportunity for a thorough evaluation of the structure, governance, and mission of ICANN.”
TPI Study: Online Information Benefits Consumers
Commercial use of information on the Internet benefits consumers, according to a new study by TPI scholars Thomas Lenard and Paul Rubin. The new study examines the role of information in improving the ability of markets to deliver the goods and services individuals want.
Broadband Competition in the 21st Century: A Transatlantic Perspective
The debate over broadband policy transcends national boundaries and has become even more important in the current economic environment as the financial crisis leads the U.S. to include broadband in its economic stimulus efforts and the EU to consider something similar. Since the mid-1990s information and communications technologies have contributed substantially to economic growth, productivity improvements, and, thus, higher living standards on both sides of the Atlantic.
May 8th Event: ICANN at a Crossroads: Privatization, Reform, Both, or Neither?
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) controls extremely important aspects of the Internet. Since 1998, it has operated under various agreements with the U.S. Department of Commerce. The current agreement expires later this year. Before then, a public policy decision must be made about ICANN’s future. ICANN would like to be fully “privatized,” but that decision raises significant questions about ICANN’s structure, mission, and performance. Does ICANN’s governance structure provide sufficient accountability? If not, what type of structure would, and to whom should ICANN be accountable? How should reforms address ICANN’s status as a de facto regulator? How should reforms address the intellectual property issues associated with domain names? This conference will discuss these issues and a recent TPI study on the subject coauthored by TPI president Thomas Lenard and NYU Stern School of Business economics professor Lawrence J. White.
Unbundling Inconsistent with Investment in Next-Generation Broadband, New Data Show
DSL unbundling is negatively correlated with new fiber investment, according to new research by TPI Vice President for Research and Senior Fellow Scott Wallsten. Similarly, platform competition (cable and facilities-based DSL providers) is positively correlated with fiber deployment. Wallsten’s paper uses a new dataset to examine empirically the effects of unbundling on investment in new fiber networks in Europe.
Technology Policy Institute Names Carly Fiorina Chair of Board
Washington, D.C. – The Technology Policy Institute (TPI) today announced Carly Fiorina’s appointment as Chair of the organization’s Board of Directors. Ms. Fiorina succeeds Ray Gifford, who was TPI’s founding board chairman and will remain on the board.