WASHINGTON, D.C. - Richard C. Notebaert, the chairman and chief executive officer of Qwest Communications International Inc., will speak on Wednesday, April 28, at a lunch sponsored by The Progress & Freedom Foundation. Joining him in Washington to discuss the current state and future of the telecommunications sector will be noted industry analysts Anna-Marie Kovacs of Janney Montgomery Scott, Frank Governali of Goldman Sachs and Blake Bath of Lehman Brothers. Qwest is a leading provider of voice, video and data services to more than 25 million customers.

Notebaert, who led the industry with his announcement last year that Qwest would become the first major regional phone company to offer Internet-based phone service, was elected chairman and CEO of the company in June 2002. Prior to joining Qwest, he led Tellabs for nearly two years, following his 30-year career with Ameritech Corporation. He retired from his position as chairman of Ameritech in 1999.

The Notebaert event, part of The Progress & Freedom Foundation's ongoing program of CEO Lunches, begins at Noon in the Rotunda Room of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. Lunch is served at noon, and the program begins at 12:30 pm. Previous series speakers have included Charles Ergen of Echostar, Jeffrey Citron of Vonage and Ivan Seidenberg of Verizon.

Those interested in attending should register online. Media questions should be directed to David Fish at 202-289-8928 or dfish@pff.org. Others should contact Eileen Goulding at 202-289-8928 or egoulding@pff.org.

"Dick Notebaert stunned the industry with his decision to position Qwest very early in the emerging market for Internet-based voice service," says Foundation President Raymond Gifford. "This brave but wise and realistic step recognized what some are going out of their ways not to see - that voice and Internet services are mere commodities. He has a lot to say, and we have some top experts to ferret out the answers to questions of importance to consumers and the industry."

The Progress & Freedom Foundation is a market-oriented think tank that studies the digital revolution and its implications for public policy. It is a 501(c)(3) research & educational organization.