Are Broadband Markets Competitive Enough?
ITIF Debate: ""
Friday, November 21 - 9:00 am - 11:00 am
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation
1250 Eye Street, NW, Suite 200, Room 2
Washington, DC 20005
Broadband access spurs economic growth and enhances the quality of life for U.S. citizens, but for Americans to enjoy broadband services at the optimal combination of speed, access (coverage), and price, having a satisfactory level of competition in the broadband marketplace will be essential. Some believe that broadband markets are already robustly competitive, others that they are monopolistic or at best oligopolistic and that American consumers suffer higher broadband costs and poorer service options from inadequate levels of competition.
ITIF will explore this crucial topic on Friday, November 21 from 9:00am - 11:00am with a spirited debate between John Windhausen, Jr., President of Telepoly, Jeffrey Eisenach, Co-Founder of The Progress and Freedom Foundation, and Ev Ehrlich, President of ESC Company and former Clinton Administration Undersecretary of Commerce. Windhausen will argue that the broadband market is not competitive, while Eisenbach and Ehrlich will each present results from new research papers arguing that the broadband market is competitive. The debate will be moderated by Rob Atkinson, President of ITIF.