Full Circle Associates

David S. Isenberg has another interesting event up his sleeve, Freedom to Connect. Here are the details:

WHO: F2C is for all who care about -- and are affected by -- network connectivity, economics, applications and policy.

WHAT: F2C is where communications policy meets networking technology, network economics, networked applications, and network construction and operation. F2C is dedicated to the proposition that strong networks build strong democracies, and vice versa.

WHEN: From 8:00 AM on March 30 through 5:00 PM, March 31, 2005.

WHERE: F2C will convene at AFI Silver, a short walk from the Silver Spring Metro station. The Silver Spring Metro is six stops from Washington, D.C., Union Station on the Red Line.

PARTICIPATION FEE: $250 until February 28, then $350. Register here.
(If you need to be there but can't afford it, write to isen@isen.com and make your case.)

Why Freedom to Connect? updated 17Jan05

The future of telecommunications starts now; there's a new U.S. Telecom Act in the works, there's unbundling in Europe, fast fiber in Asia, wireless across Africa and networks a-building in cities and villages around the world. Lead the discussion. Shape the debate. Assert your Freedom to Connect.

The need to communicate is primary, like the need to breathe, eat, sleep, reproduce, socialize and learn. Better connections make for better communication. Better connections drive economic growth through better access to suppliers, customers and ideas. Better connections provide for development and testing of ideas in science and the arts. Better connections improve the quality of everyday life. Better connections build stronger democracies. Strong democracies build strong networks.

Freedom to Connect belongs with Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion and Assembly. Each of these freedoms is related to the others and depends on the others, but stands distinct. Freedom to Connect, too, depends on the other four but carries its own meaning. Unlike the others, it does not yet have a body of law and practice surrounding it. There is no Digital Bill of Rights. Freedom to Connect is the place to start.

Too often the discussion of telecommunications policy turns on phrases like "overregulation," and "investment incentives." These are critical issues, to be sure, but like the term "last mile," such phrases frame the issues in network-centric terms. As more and more intelligence migrates to the edge of the network, users of the network need to be part of the policy debate. Let's put the user back into the picture. Freedom to Connect provides the frame.

Freedom to Connect begins with two assumptions. First, if some connectivity is good, then more connectivity is better. Second, if a connection that does one thing is good, then a connection that can do many things is better.

It is written that Freedom of the Press is only for those with presses. But Freedom to Connect is potentially available to everybody; the main economic limit is the need for sustainable networks that will improve as new technology becomes available. How can we best do this? Who will build, operate and govern these networks? Who will decide how we use them? Who will pay? Who will gain? Aha! Let's discuss it at Freedom to Connect.

Speakers (under active construction, check back soon) updated 19Jan05

Keynotes include Jim Baller, Vint Cerf, Reed Hundt (sorry, conflict was unworkable), Lee Rainie, David Weinberger. Panelists include Daniel Berninger, Jeff Chester, Susan Crawford, Jeff Jarvis, Robert Pepper, Rick Whitt. Others to be added soon. Proposals to organize panels, debates and demos welcome. The agenda will gather a lot more structure (and a lot less ambiguity) over the next few short weeks, folks.