Paul Kapustka's Blog
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February 19, 2006
Silicon Flatirons -- the incomplete telecom debate
BOULDER, Colo. -- Amidst all the really smart things being said by passionate, dedicated people here Sunday, there was a sense that something -- or somebody -- was missing from the debate. While it didn't detract from the density of the content at this year's Silicon Flatirons event, it also couldn't be ignored that some of the biggest players in matters telecom today -- the FCC, Google, AT&T -- were conspicuous by their absence.
Not to take away from a fantastic assemblage of smarts -- any conference that has a Bob Kahn and a Michael Powell in the audience is off-the-charts in brainpower -- but sometimes the "debates" seemed a bit like watching someone whack a tennis ball off a brick wall. Sure, the argumentative groundstrokes of a Tim Wu or a Ray Gifford were flawless, cross-court winners. But if Network Neutrality and telecom regulation are the topics of the day, where is Ed Whitacre, Mr. Not on My Pipes? Where is Kevin Martin, or for that matter, any current employee of the FCC? MIA. And it's their loss.
That the FCC couldn't send anyone to Boulder was just indicitive of what one insider called the current "toxic" mood in our favorite government bureau. Conference host Phil Weiser could only shake his head in disbelief, with no FCC presence at one of the premier telecom-thinker events anywhere. Former FCC chair Michael Powell took the diplomatic route, saying "you'd have to ask them" (meaning the current regime) why there are no FCC members present at this conference (or many other public forums, for that matter).
"I always encouraged the [FCC] staff to get out and learn things" at events like this one, Powell said during one of the breaks. Powell also thought it was strange that big content providers like Google and Yahoo were non-entities, especially since they were the topics of most panel conversations.
"They are the biggest animals in the jungle right now," Powell said. "Why aren't they here?"
Posted by paul at February 19, 2006 09:10 PM