Thursday, June 28, 6:00 – 8:15 p.m.The 2012 WCIT: Crafting International Telecommunication Regulations for the Twenty-First CenturyThe FCBA International Telecommunications Committee will hold a CLE on Thursday, June 28, 2012 from 6:00 – 8:15 p.m. This CLE will be held at Bingham McCutchen LLP, 2020 K Street, NW.Registrations and cancellations due by 12:00 Noon, Wednesday, June 27, 2012.A major treaty-writing conference scheduled for December 2012 could significantly expand the jurisdiction and legal authority of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), potentially giving this United Nations agency greater influence over Internet governance, as well as major telecoms issues such as accounting rates and termination charges for next generation networks, data privacy, cyber security, spam, and international mobile roaming.Specifically, at the World Conference on International Telecommunications (“WCIT”), a major 1988 treaty known as the International Telecommunication Regulations (“ITRs”) will be revised. While today this treaty is largely concerned with the processes for government-to-government agreements regarding accounting for legacy voice services, some interests within the ITU and among its Member States would like to see major changes to the treaty, particularly with respect to the Internet and wireless, IP-based, and next generation networks. Other countries, including the U.S., however, believe that the WCIT should adopt only minor changes to modernize the existing provisions of the ITRs, and that new provisions and authorities are unnecessary.Among the potential proposals for WCIT are to:
These revisions could impact the fundamental economic structure of the telecoms and ICT sectors. Even more significant is what these proposals represent in terms of the broader regulatory paradigm. The outcome of the 2012 WCIT may signal to regulators what the role of government should be regarding telecoms in the Twenty-First Century.The FCBA CLE will begin by providing an overview of the ITU, ITRs, and WCIT, including a description of the structure of the current treaty and the conference preparatory process. This portion of the CLE will include presentations by U.S. government officials from the FCC and State Department. The CLE will then discuss the major substantive issues up for debate at the WCIT.AGENDA
6:00 – 6:05 p.m. Welcome and Introductions6:05 – 6:50 p.m. What It Is: Overview of ITU, ITRs, and WCITThe first panel will provide an overview of the International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”), the International Telecommunication Regulations (“ITRs”), and the World Conference on International Telecommunications (“WCIT”). This discussion will cover the structure of the current ITRs, the services and transactions that the existing treaty covers, and procedural aspects of the WCIT preparations and the conference itself, including the role of the FCC and NTIA.Moderator:Ethan Lucarelli, Wiley Rein LLPSpeakers:Richard Beaird, Senior Deputy United States Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy - Department of StateVernita Harris, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of International Affairs, NTIA, Department of CommerceAl Lewis, Special Counsel, FCC6:50 – 7:00 p.m. Break7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Why Should You Care: What are the Issues and Who are the Parties?The second panel will discuss how the debate has developed and the major issues and proposals that have arisen in the course of the conference preparatory process. The discussion will include an overview of some of the substantive positions that have been taken by various ITU Member States, an analysis of the international politics at play, and a discussion of the stakes as perceived by the communications and technology communities.Moderator:David Gross, Wiley Rein LLPSpeakers:Aparna Sridhar, Telecom Policy Counsel, Google Inc.Gigi Sohn, President and CEO, Public KnowledgeSally Wentworth, Internet SocietyRandolph May, President, The Free State Foundation8:00 – 8:15 p.m. Question and Answer
