ESD.68J | Spring 2006 | Graduate

Communications and Information Policy

Calendar

The course will consist of five modules.

Instructors

Dr. David D. Clark
Dr. Frank Field
Sharon E. Gillett, Instructor in charge
Dr. William Lehr

LEC # TOPICS INSTRUCTORS KEY DATES
Module 1: Technology
1 A Quick Guide to the Internet Clark

2 Application Design on the Internet Clark

3 EE 101 Clark

4 Internet Interconnection Clark

Module 2: Policy Rationale and Methods
5 Why have Regulators been so involved in Telecommunications? Gillett and Lehr Project descriptions due
6 Overview of Methods of Technical and Policy Analysis Applicable to the Final Project. Discussion of Problem Definition and Issue Framing for Topics with Interwoven Technical, Social, Economic, and Political Dimensions Gillett and Lehr Mid-term assignment out
Module 3: Deep Dives into Four Topics
Module 3a: Spectrum Policy
7 Spectrum Management Reform, Part 1 Lehr

8 Spectrum Management Reform, Part 2 Lehr

Module 3b: Information Policy
9 Intellectual Property: Content and Digital Telecommunication Policy Field

10 Architecture and Control Field

11 Culture, Content and Copyright Field Mid-term assignment due
Module 3c: Interconnection
12 Challenges for Convergence: Interconnection Lehr

13 Challenges for Convergence: Interconnection (cont.) Lehr

Module 3d: Broadband Access
14 Competition in Access Networks Gillett Final project proposal due
15 Case Studies: VoIP, Municipal Broadband Gillett

16 Municipal Broadband (cont.) Guest Lecturers: Patrick McCormick (Brookline Wireless) and Steven Gag (Technology Advisor to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino)

17 Network Neutrality Gillett

18 Network Neutrality (cont.) Gillett

19 IPTV Marie-José Montpetit, Motorola

Module 4: Miscellaneous Topics
20 Internet Governance Scott Bradner, Harvard University

21 Open Access, or Making Money Openly Clark

22 One Laptop per Child (aka $100 Laptop); the Internet and Developing Countries Michail Bletsas, MIT Media Lab

Module 5: Student Presentations
23-25 Classroom Presentations and Discussion

Final papers due in Lec #25