WASHINGTON D.C. - Former U.S. Congressman Tom Tauke will be a featured speaker at an upcoming event sponsored by The Progress & Freedom Foundation on the subject of Net neutrality and the FCC's recent actions in this area. "Net Neutrality or Net Neutering in a Post-Brand X World: Self-Regulation, Policy Principles, and Legal Mandates in the Broadband Marketplace" will occur Wednesday, September 21st from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Capital Hilton, 1001 16th Street NW, Washington. Lunch will be served.

In June 2003, PFF hosted an early conference on the then-emerging "Net Neutrality" issue. Today, in the post- Brand X world, now that cable and telephone company-provided broadband services have been declared information services, and even though there is more competition than ever before among broadband companies to provide consumers with high-speed access to the Internet, the calls for government intervention to regulate Net access have not abated. Thus, in August, the FCC adopted a policy statement containing four principles it claims will preserve the open and interconnected nature of the Net. This conference will examine the rationale and wisdom of the FCC's action, while exploring alternatively whether industry self-regulation, on the one hand, or more stringent new rules and legal mandates on the other, constitute preferable alternatives.

The September 21 event will open with a keynote from Tauke, Verizon's executive vice president for public affairs, in which he will lay out his views on the event's theme of the role of self-regulation, policy principles and legal mandates regarding Net neutrality. The keynote will be followed by a roundtable discussion, moderated by PFF Director of Communications Policy Studies Randolph May, that includes Intel Communications Policy Director Peter Pitsch, National Cable and Telecommunications Association Senior Vice President for Law and Regulatory Policy Dan Brenner, Public Knowledge President Gigi Sohn, U.S. Internet Industry Association President David McClure and PFF Senior Fellow Adam Thierer. Lunch will follow the panel complete with a luncheon address (speaker to be announced).

"Net Neutrality or Net Neutering in a Post- Brand X World: Self-Regulation, Policy Principles, and Legal Mandates in the Broadband Marketplace" will be held at the Capital Hilton on September 21st from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. Those wishing to attend may register online. Questions should be addressed to Marie Ryan at 202-289-8928 or mryan@pff.org. Media should direct queries to Patrick Ross at 202-289-8928 or pross@pff.org or Amy Smorodin at 202-289-8928 or asmorodin@pff.org.

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.