The Law and Economics of Municipal Broadband

Now six months into the COVID pandemic, the Internet has offered Americans a welcome economic, educational and sometimes even psychological lifeline to weather the crisis. Given Americans’ increased reliance on broadband, politicians on both sides of the aisle are now actively campaigning on the issue of expanding broadband deployment. Republicans are focusing on promoting private-sector deployment, while Democrats are pushing for the expansion of government-owned networks (“GONs”).While the debate over the merits of municipal broadband is nothing new, what has been missing from the debate over the years is a cohesive legal and economic analysis to frame the discussion. A new 100-page study recently published in the Federal Communications Law Journal attempts to fill that gap. To explore this important topic in detail, we will be joined in this teleforum by two of the authors of this new study to discuss their findings. Featuring:-- Dr. George S. Ford, Chief Economist, Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Public Policy Studies-- Lawrence J. Spiwak, President, Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Public Policy Studies and member of the Federalist Society’s Telecommunications & Electronic Media Practice Group Executive Committee-- Moderator: Danielle K. Thumann, Associate, Wilkinson Barker Knauer and member of the Federalist Society’s Telecommunications & Electronic Media Practice Group Executive Committee