The term "network neutrality" has been used to described several different types of regulatory restrictions on the pricing of Internet access. Various proponents of network neutrality call for public policies that would ban private pricing policies ranging vertical foreclosure, to price discrimination, to any form of two-sided pricing. To date, the debate over network neutrality policy has contained disappointingly little economic analysis. 

For this reason this second forum focuses on this issue. Professor Michael Katz, from Berkeley, will discuss what economic theory does and does not tell us about the welfare effects of network neutrality regulation.

The Forum on Regulation and Competition aims to bring together consultants, business people, academics and regulators, offering a space for the debate of business strategy, competition in the marketplace and regulation.

19:00-20:30

Network Neutrality: What Economics Does and Does Not Tell Us Speaker: Michael Katz, Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley Michael Katz is Director of the Center for Telecommunications and Digital Convergence and Sarin Chair in Strategy and Leadership of the Haas School of Business, of the University of California at Berkeley. Professor Katz is the former Chief Economist of the Federal Communications Commission. He was Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Economic Analysis in the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. He has been member of the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board and member of the Committee on Wireless Technology Prospect and Policy Options, both committees of The National Academies.

20:30

Cocktail

Xavier Vives
Professor of Economics
Academic Director, Public-Private Sector Research Center of IESE Business School

The Public-Private Sector Research Center was created in October of 2001. Its mission is to foster cooperation between the private sector and public administrations, as well as the exchange of ideas and initiatives, through dialogue, research and education.