Network Insight Institute

Internet, Telecoms and Convergence: the legal and policy challenge

Everyone agrees that there are big changes in networks, service delivery and consumer demand.  We now have an official inquiry into policies and laws 'appropriate for established, new and emerging communications and media platforms' in view of convergence.  The terms of reference are unusually wide. This seminar was organised to help people decide what changes are really needed.

The seminar offered another layer of insight, without political correctness or formality.  It offered carte blanche to six people with a depth of knowledge to say what they think.  To be practical, the program provided for two different kinds of inputs.  First, three lawyers dealing with issues they have struck.  Then,  three ICT leaders suggested priorities for the middle of the decade.

Click here to download the program

PROGRAM
Session 1 (2:00-3:30) Current problems and solutions
Peter Leonard, Partner, Gilbert + Tobin
Samantha Yorke, Legal Director Asia Pacific, Yahoo!7
Jane van Beelen, Executive Director, Regulatory Affairs, Telstra

These speakers have all grappled with legal issues in the converging environment.  We have invited each to nominate one or two key problems they see with the way things work now;  then to suggest some solutions:
- The rationale (if any) for new or different rules
- How to ensure consumer choice and access to the open Internet?
- When to use self-regulation, and when mandatory rules?
- Where to stop: regulatory reflex or measured forbearance?


Session 2 (4:00-5:30) Where do we want to be in 2015?
John Stanton, CEO, Communications Alliance; previously CEO People Telecom, President INTELSAT Global Sales
Tom Kennedy, Exec Director, Group Digital Services, OmniLab Media; previously CEO Hyro, Beyond Online, Chair IIA
Chris Althaus, CEO, Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association

These industry leaders in Internet services, telecoms and convergence have agreed to project their thinking forward to 2015.  What examples of services would they like to see flourishing then?  Are policy changes needed?
- Where would you start, to put us among the world's top 5 content developer locations?
- Can we make it easier for ICT content/apps to reach across all the platforms: Internet, mobile, broadcast, IPTV, PC, tablet etc?
- How about more strategy and less law?  A digital economy strategy with concrete goals?

Click on the speakers name below to download their slides
Samantha Yorke
Jane van Beelen
John Stanton
Chris Althaus

Note: 
- This is one of a series of Institute events dealing with future policy.  Its partner event looks at similar issues from a TV perspective (19 May 2011). 

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