WASHINGTON D.C. - The 13th Annual Aspen Summit hosted by The Progress & Freedom Foundation (PFF) will highlight the challenges, opportunities, and risks facing the information sector in a climate of rapidly evolving markets and business models. This year's event, titled "Marking Markets - Critical Information Policy Choices," includes a panel on how telecom policy should adapt to handle new realities in a converged world.

The panel discussion, "Whither Regulation? Telecommunications Policy in a Converged World," will be moderated by Scott Wallsten, Senior Fellow and Director of Communications Policy Studies for PFF. Experts from academia, industry and government will convene to discuss issues including how telecommunications markets today should be defined for regulatory and antitrust purposes and what aspects of the industry continue to require oversight by a specialized regulatory agency.

With telephone, cable, and wireless companies all offering voice, video, and data services, convergence is not on the way, it’s here. While this platform competition bringing new benefits to consumers, it also brings new policy challenges. The panel discussion will feature the following speakers representing viewpoints across the range of the debate.

Session Title:  Whither Regulation? Telecommunications Policy in a Converged World.

• Scott Wallsten (moderator), Senior Fellow and Director of Communications Policy Studies, The Progress & Freedom Foundation
• Chris Libertelli, Senior Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs Skype North America
• Rob McDowell, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission
• Roger Noll, Morris M. Doyle Centennial Professor of Economics, Stanford University
• Tom Tauke, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Policy and Communications, Verizon
• Joseph W. Waz, Jr., Vice President, External Affairs and Public Policy Counsel, Comcast Corporation

Other prominent speakers and experts and further details will be announced as the conference approaches. Further details about the 2007 PFF Aspen Summit at the St. Regis Hotel in Aspen, Colorado can be found on our web site and registration can be performed online. Members of the media should contact Tori Katz to register or for more information at tkatz@abelcommunications.net or (410) 466-0049.

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.