Homes With Tails

What If You Could Own Your Internet Connection?

Friday, November 21, 2008
12:15 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

New America Foundation
1630 Connecticut Ave NW, 7th Floor
Washington, DC 20009

America's path to becoming a broadband leader is uncertain. Few dispute that deploying fast, universal, and affordable broadband is imperative, but the costs of robust network infrastructure are daunting for the private sector and governments.

In a forthcoming New America Foundation working paper, authors Tim Wu and Derek Slater propose an innovative way to drive broadband deployment: a model that encourages consumers to purchase and own the "last-mile" connection that runs into their home. By purchasing their own fiber optic connections, consumers would be able to connect to a variety of service providers. This model holds the potential for higher broadband speeds, greater competition, and lower Internet service prices.

The idea of customer-owned fiber may seem odd at first, but buying items like personal computers, answering machines or even telephones was also unheard of only a few decades ago. Home fiber could someday become a must-have technology.

Join the authors for a presentation and discussion of this new proposal, and learn more about "."

Featured Speakers:

Tim Wu
Professor of Law, Columbia Law School
Fellow, New America Foundation
Co-Author, Homes with Tails

Derek Slater
Policy Analyst, Google Inc.
Co-Author, Homes with Tails

Sascha Meinrath
Research Director, Wireless Future Program, New America Foundation

Moderator
Michael Calabrese
Director, Wireless Future Program, New America Foundation

To RSVP for this event http://www.newamerica.net/events/2008/homes_tails

For questions, contact Cecille Isidro at (202) 986-2700 x 141 or isidro@newamerica.net