Justice Department’s Antitrust Division to Host Symposium on Telecommunications Competition Issues

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division today announced that it will host a symposium entitled, “Voice, Video and Broadband: The Changing Competitive Landscape and Its Impact on Consumers.” The symposium, which will be held on Nov. 29, 2007, will address the current state of competition and likely future developments in providing voice, video and broadband services to consumers. It will cover topics such as:

The introduction of new facilities-based competition providing a bundle of voice, video and broadband services to consumers;

The effects of such competition on price and the quality and diversity of services; and

The existence of regulatory and other potential barriers to entry.

The symposium will be held from 9:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. in the Horizon Room of the Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. The event is open to the public and the press, and there is no fee for attendance. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Admittance to the Ronald Reagan Building requires a valid form of photo identification, such as a driver’s license. The Antitrust Division requests attendees to preregister by e-mailing their name and affiliation by Nov. 16, 2007 to 2007TelecomSymposium@usdoj.gov. Please mention “Preregistration” in the subject of the message.

Written submissions on symposium topics must be received in paper or electronic form by Nov. 13, 2007. Studies, surveys, original research and empirical data are especially useful. Submissions may be posted on the Antitrust Division Web site and cannot be maintained as confidential.