INCOMPAS NEWS -- January 9, 2017

Join us February 15-16 for the INCOMPAS Policy Summit, an annual event in Washington, D.C., focused on promoting growth, innovation and competition in the communications technology economy.

February 15 will feature a full day of sessions and keynotes at the Newseum. The agenda includes sessions such as:

Competition Creates the Future - During the past three years, the Commission has addressed Open Internet, broadband privacy, access to spectrum, mergers and business data services. A panel - featuring Paula Boyd, director of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Microsoft; and Jennie Chandra, vice president of Public Policy and Strategy for Windstream - will discuss what the future may hold for competitive policy in the new administration and expected impact on companies and consumers. The panel will be moderated by David Kaut, senior editor for Communications Daily.
Hook Me Up - With new leadership and the continuing need for consumer choice, the time is ripe for the FCC to address the competitive broadband deployment agenda. This session, featuring John Burchett, head of Public Policy for Google Access and Google Fiber, will delve into the obstacles competitive providers face and discuss what policies will expedite competitive broadband deployment in order to promote investment and more affordable connectivity in communities across the nation.
Exploring Opportunities in the New Administration - Speakers Colin Crowell, vice president of Global Public Policy and Philanthropy for Twitter; Kathy Grillo, senior vice president at Verizon; and Matt Wood, policy director for Free Press; will share their organizations' unique perspectives on the future of our industry in the face of a new administration, FCC and Congress and discuss their priorities in Washington.
Competition in a Time of Consolidation - There are currently several communications and media mergers under review. Speakers Gene Kimmelman, president of Public Knowledge; and Berin Szoka, president of Tech Freedom; will debate the implications that these transactions would have on both consumers and businesses, discuss the best approach for the FCC and Department of Justice to take, and how the mergers may impact ongoing proceedings at the FCC.
Full Stream Ahead Focus: What are the Challenges and Opportunities for Digital Media in the New Administration? - This session, featuring Alison Minea, director and special counsel, Regulatory Affairs for Dish Network, will discuss the future of content, with a focus on the aspects of emerging issues in the media streaming marketplace. Topics of discussion will include regulators' inquiries regarding zero-rating plans from mobile broadband providers, interconnection issues stemming from the FCC's Open Internet order and various merger agreements, regulatory implications of streaming apps on set-top boxes, and copyright developments that affect streaming business models. The session will be moderated by Markham Erickson, partner at Steptoe and Johnson.

Then, on February 16, INCOMPAS members will participate in meetings with legislative leaders.

New Orleans is THE place to be April 3-5, when The INCOMPAS Show brings together executives and key buyers in the communications industry. With new features and enhancements, the show will enable attendees to forge stronger connections and make more lucrative business deals.

The INCOMPAS Show will take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, just a short walk from the official INCOMPAS hotel - the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.

Register for The INCOMPAS Show now so you can ensure your hotel reservation and benefit from the INCOMPAS preferred rate of $239 per night. Attendees will receive a link for housing reservations in their registration confirmation email. Discounted rates are limited and only available to registered conference attendees, so book soon!

New Corporate Registration Packages
New to the INCOMPAS Show are corporate registration packages. Receive registration discounts, first time exhibitor pricing reductions, and other group perks when bringing five or more people to the show. Register all of your employees at once and receive a reduction on each registration rate once you meet or exceed the five person group level.

House and Senate Announce Committee Leaders, Members

Last week House and Senate leaders announced committee leadership for the 115th Congress.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee will be led by Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Vice Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX), with the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology being headed by Chairman Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Vice Chairman Leonard Lance (R-NJ).

INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering congratulated Rep. Blackburn on her chairmanship and welcomed the new members. He said Rep. Blackburn "is a thoughtful, vocal and courageous public servant who understands the internet's invaluable contribution to our economy and society. Our connected world makes this subcommittee vital to the future of innovation, education, security and ensuring that the jobs of the future are American made. We look forward to working with her and other House and Senate Committee leaders and members on new network deployment and replicating the success of new fiber in Nashville, along with 5G expansions and competitive innovation policy."

New members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee include Buddy Carter (R-GA), Ryan Costello (R-PA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Mimi Walters (R-CA).

The Senate Commerce Committee also announced new members: Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Todd Young (R-IN).

INCOMPAS Urges FCC to Reject Requests to Roll Back Market-Opening Rules and Policies in Biennial Review Proceeding

On January 3, INCOMPAS filed reply comments in the FCC's biennial review proceeding. The comments offer evidence that there is still significant concentration and market power in the communications industry.

INCOMPAS urged the Commission to examine whether businesses and consumers have real competitive options when it considers whether a regulation is no longer in the public interest, and to reject requests to roll back market-opening rules and policies that are needed to enable retail competition. The association also noted that because Open Internet rules enable over-the-top (OTT) competition to flourish, the FCC must not repeal rules or reclassify broadband internet access service (BIAS).

Member Profile: ThermoCredit

Thermo Credit is a privately held funding company that provides asset-based loans and factoring services primarily to the technology and communications industries. With more than 100 years of combined experience, Thermo Credit targets established companies in every segment of the industry, including long distance, VoIP, triple play, wholesale, wireless, ISPs, CLECs and content providers.

Visit the INCOMPAS website to learn more about ThermoCredit.

For more information on submitting a member profile, or updating an existing one, email Natalie DeHart or call 202-296-6650.