FCC's Open Internet Workshop at MIT Brought Robust Exchange Among Academics

Academics, economics, technology specialists, application creators, Internet service operators and investors descended on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Wednesday to discuss the possible effects of the proposed net neutrality rules on innovation, investment and Internet users.

Sharon Gillett, chief of the Wireline Competition Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission and Paul de Sa, chief of the FCC's Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis, moderated the late afternoon and evening workshop. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski provided an opening statement via video feed. He established the goal of the hearing as a discussion on how to preserve the Internet that generates innovation, investment, job creation and growth.

Chairman Genachowski pressed for answers as to how to optimize innovation and investment throughout the edge and core of the networks, so that Internet can play a critical role in our future.

FCC Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker was the only other commissioner who attended in person; she told the audience that she was "still unconvinced that there is a problem that they should be addressing." "Nothing should interfere with the deployment of broadband," she said.