COM 650

Telecommunications Policy in the Information Age

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Ernest A. Hakanen

OFFICE HOURS: By Appointment

OFFICE: PSA 325

PHONE: 895.1354

http://www.pages.drexel.edu/faculty/eah22/

DESCRIPTION:

If we are in an information age, then policies regarding that which makes the new age possible are extremely important in determining what our society will look like, who will control it and who will benefit. To be able to intelligently examine policies, we must first look at policy-making structures. In this course, we will study the role of business and government in telecommunications policy-making. We will assess the motives and evaluate the effectiveness of those informal and formal agencies that formulate and implement policy for the telecommunications industry and the public. What is really important is that we attempt to understand why these relationships are more important than ever before (if they are).

All of this is back grounded by very complex questions. What is the information age? How does the notion of an information age influence the way rules and regulations have been made and will be made regarding information and telecommunications technologies, the driving force behind the age itself? And if we are in a new age driven by information and telecommunications, does it make us different? Are we living in a community vastly different from those of the past?

GOALS:

You will become familiar with government agencies which influence policy-making in the telecommunications arena. You will develop the critical-analytical skills necessary for evaluating the utility and effectiveness of these agencies and their policies in our information age. This knowledge will help you understand the contexts in which you work as an information specialist or engineer.

READINGS:

1) Reading of web-based materials (in green)

2) Subscribe to daily news: http://www.benton.org/

3) Texts: Lessig, L. (2006). Code: Version 2.0

Post, D. (2009). In Search of Jefferson's Moose: Notes on the State of Cyberspace (Oxford UP 2008)

4) Reserve in library

Other helpful sites:

http://www.itu.ch/

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/

http://www.fcc.gov/

http://www.law.indiana.edu/fclj/fclj.html

EVALUATION:

1a) Final Topic Presentation. (50%) 10th week.

b) Very short written explanation of your topic. Provide five sources (5th week).

2) Group Presentation. (30%) (5th week).

3) Participation. (20%). Once during the term you will be called on or volunteer to discuss a tlecom topic in the news.

SCHEDULE:

1 Introductions, Assignments

2 Guest; David Post Read Post

3 Discussion of Post

4 Development of a theory of regulation.

Discussion Question: What are the formative power relationships? Can we build a theory?

Readings Horwitz on reserve

5 Institutions and Theories of Regulation

Who's in charge here?

Presentation 1

Web Readings: To be Split up

Players--ITU, NTIA, FCC, Congress and Citizens

ITU http://www.itu.ch/

NTIA & IRAC http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/ntiafact050698.htm

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/org.html

FCC http://www.fcc.gov/

US Copyright Agency

http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/

WIPO http://www.wipo.int/eng/newindex/index.htm

RBOCs

ATT

WARC and US Department of State

6 Technological Convergence and Policy-Making

Web Readings:Spectrum Reallocation Report

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/redbook/redbook.html

The telecom act of 1996

ftp://ftp.loc.gov/pub/thomas/c104/s652.enr.txt

Universal Service

readings on reserve: Sawhney

Web Readings:

Public Interest Standards

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/pubintadvcom/pubint.htm

7 Have Nots

http://www.pewtrusts.com/ideas/index.cfm?page=8&name=Grantee%20Reports&issue=10

http://www.benton.org/publibrary/index.html#thedigitaldivide

http://www.isoc.org/oti/articles/1201/huston.html

http://www.pewtrusts.com/ideas/index.cfm?page=8&name=Grantee%20Reports&issue=10

Global --GII, NWIO, Satellite

Reading on reserve: Masmoudi

Web Readings:

THE GLOBAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE: AGENDA FOR COOPERATION.

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/giiagend.html

World Bank Profiles

http://www.worldbank.org/data/countrydata/ictglance.htm

http://info.worldbank.org/ict/

8 & 9 Read: Lessig

10 Presentations