May 2000 PulseOnline: Inside Washington: TIA Annual Spring Policy Summit for Key Policy-Makers and Industry Representatives a Roaring Success (Page 2 of 2)

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photo of Mike Kennedy moderating the panel "The Future of Broadband Networks: Connecting All Americans."

Mike Kennedy (far left), corporate vice president & director of global spectrum and telecom policy of Motorola, and committee chairman of TIA public policy & government relations, moderates the panel "The Future of Broadband Networks: Connecting All Americans."

Rohde also highlighted the efforts of the Wireless Innovations in Communications Initiative (WICI), an NTIA program developed to enable the federal government to be more active in promoting innovative developments in communications technologies and facilitating their timely application to satisfy actual communications needs in both the federal agencies and the private sector. A WICI committee, composed of senior experts from various federal government agencies, will conduct a series of meetings in which representatives from federal agencies will discuss their communications requirements and industry representatives will be invited to present new technology developments that might respond to these needs to committee members. U.S. Representative Mike Oxley (R-Ohio) spoke after breakfast on Saturday morning, focusing on trade issues, specifically the importance of establishing permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with China. Congressman Oxley emphasized the tremendous significance to all industry sectors of the upcoming vote by Congress on whether to authorize PNTR.

Finally, Frances McInerney, a principal with North River Ventures and co-author of the recent book Future Wealth, conducted an interactive presentation at the final dinner Saturday evening. McInerney has a tremendous record of success working with companies in communications and other industries on ways in which shareholder value can be enhanced. He also has been very successful with venture capital placements.

The summit also featured three informative and educational panels that were composed of both FCC staff and Capitol Hill representatives from the House and the Senate, as well as TIA members. These panels, which highlighted broadband communications technology and e-commerce, the high-tech agenda of key policy-makers, and global barriers to the deployment of broadband, sparked much debate among the panelists.

The policy-makers and company representatives who attended expressed the common sentiment that the summit was a tremendous success and they are looking forward to next year's edition. TIA is grateful for the support of the member companies that sponsored this year's summit: ALCATEL, Motorola Inc., Ericsson, Corning Inc., Lucent Technologies, Nokia Inc., Nortel Networks, Telcordia Technologies, ADC Telecommunications and Harris Corp.