Broadband Internet Speeds Seen as More Important to Consumers Than HDTV and Other New Services

Presidential Candidates Failing to Win Over Communications Industry Leaders, New Pike & Fischer Survey Indicates – June 4, 2008

FCC Commissioner Copps, U.S. Rep. Stearns (R-FL), FTC Commissioner Rosch and Ambassador Gross to Keynote Broadband Policy Summit IV – April 11, 2008


Broadband Internet Speeds Seen as More Important to Consumers
Than HDTV and Other New Services, According to New Pike & Fischer Report 
 to be Unveiled at Broadband Policy Summit IV  

SILVER SPRING, MD — June 12, 2008 – Cable, satellite TV and now even telephone companies have been heavily promoting a variety of new services, ranging from high-definition video to movies on demand.  But communications industry leaders believe the best way to attract and keep customers is by providing the fastest Internet speeds, according to a new Pike & Fischer Broadband Advisory Services survey.

The Silver Spring, Md.-based market research company conducted the survey over the spring and received more than 280 responses from executives, engineers and consultants representing the cable, telephone, satellite TV, broadcast, and technology equipment industries. Academics and government regulators in the broadband space were also represented in the survey.

Survey participants were asked to rank several advanced communications services on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most attractive to customers.  High-speed data speeds received more rankings of 5 than any other service.  Nearly 40 percent of the respondents ranked data rates as a top draw. About one-fourth of participants ranked HDTV service as a 5.  Digital phone service received the fewest top rankings. Only 9.2 percent of participants ranked it at 5.

“This suggests to us that, while multichannel video providers may be spending a lot of their ad dollars promoting their high-def channels and their ‘triple-play’ bundles, they still rely on their broadband speeds to seal the deal with customers,” said Scott Sleek, director of Pike & Fischer’s Broadband Advisory Services. “Every one wants to claim that they offer the fastest Internet access, and believe that will be more important to customers than how many HD channels they offer.”

Pike & Fischer, a BNA company, offers a host of legal and business products covering the telecommunications industry. Full survey results will be unveiled at Pike & Fischer’s Broadband Policy Summit IV on June 12-13 in Washington, DC.   A complimentary copy of the resulting research report, Communications Industry Survey: Views on the U.S. Economic and Regulatory Climate, will be provided to all attendees.   The report can also be purchased for $599 at www.broadbandadvisoryservices.com.    

For analyst commentary or to request a briefing, contact Scott Sleek at 301-562-1530, x291, ssleek@pf.com.  For information about Pike & Fischer’s Broadband Advisory Services, visit www.broadbandadvisoryservices.com or contact Jonathan Wentworth Ping at 973-718-4703 / jping@pf.com.  To learn more about Broadband Policy Summit IV, visit www.broadbandpolicysummit.com.




Presidential Candidates Failing to Win Over Communications Industry Leaders, New Pike & Fischer Survey Indicates

SILVER SPRING, MD — June 4, 2008 – Communications industry executives are wary about the ability of any of the presidential candidates to develop sound policies on such issues as broadband availability and media ownership, according to results of a new Pike & Fischer Broadband Advisory Services survey.

A slight majority of the more than 280 industry leaders and experts who responded to the survey said they are either unaware of the telecommunications policy platform of any of the candidates, or simply don’t find any of the politicians’ positions to be viable.

The Silver Spring, Md.-based company conducted the survey over March and April and received responses from executives, engineers and consultants representing cable, telephone, satellite TV and technology equipment industries.  Academics and government regulators were also represented in the survey.  

Complete results and related analysis will be unveiled at Pike & Fischer’s Broadband Policy Summit IV – Navigating the Digital Revolution on June 12-13 in Washington, DC.   A complimentary copy of the detailed survey report, Communications Industry Survey: Views on the U.S. Economic & Regulatory Climate, will be provided to all registered Summit attendees and is also available for purchase at www.broadbandadvisoryservices.com.

Among the survey participants who said they were up to speed on the candidates’ positions, most view presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain as having better communications policy ideas than Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. But many others said they are angry that none of the candidates have a clear understanding or concern about critical communications issues, such as regulations that affect the industry’s ability to deliver affordable broadband services to more Americans.

“The overall state of the economy, the war in Iraq, and gas prices have dominated the presidential race, while communications issues such as broadband availability and advanced communications for public safety have thus far not been major topics of debate,” said Scott Sleek, director of Pike & Fischer’s Broadband Advisory Services. “It appears that this has left many telecommunications industry leaders feeling pretty pessimistic about the fate of communications policy under the next administration.”

Pike & Fischer, a BNA company, offers a host of legal and business products covering the telecommunications industry. For analyst commentary or to request a briefing, contact Scott Sleek at 301-562-1530, x291, ssleek@pf.com. For information about Pike & Fischer’s Broadband Advisory Services, visit www.broadbandadvisoryservices.com or contact Jonathan Wentworth Ping at 973-718-4703 / jping@pf.com.




FCC Commissioner Copps, U.S. Rep. Stearns (R-FL), FTC Commissioner Rosch and Ambassador Gross to Keynote Broadband Policy Summit IV

Washington, D.C. — April 11, 2008 – FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps, U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), FTC Commissioner J. Thomas Rosch, and Ambassador David Gross will keynote Pike & Fischer’s Broadband Policy Summit IV: Navigating the Digital Revolution, at The Westin Embassy Row, Washington, D.C., on Thursday and Friday, June 12-13, 2008.

During the two-day Summit, business and government leaders will define and debate the trends, issues, and problems shaping policy decisions that will foster or inhibit the high-speed Internet, voice-over-IP, and IP video sectors.   The Summit’s lineup has been expanded to include four distinct keynote addresses.  

FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps, an ardent and tireless advocate of a clear national broadband policy, is slated to open the Summit with his Morning Keynote on Thursday, June 12.   Rep. Stearns, Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, will present keynote remarks during the luncheon later that day.   On Friday, June 13, FTC Commissioner J. Thomas Rosch will deliver the morning keynote, during which he is expected to discuss the latest broadband-related regulatory activity at the Commission.   Ambassador David Gross, U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy at the U.S. Department of State, will close the Summit with his keynote address Friday at noon.  He is expected to address the spurs to broadband deployment, domestic and international, resulting from the U.S. delegation’s successes at the 2007 World Radio Conference.

"The Summit offers not only four outstanding keynoters but an exciting and very informative panel line-up of expert thought-leaders in the broadband space,” said Richard E. Wiley, Summit Chair, former FCC Chairman and Managing Partner of Wiley Rein LLP.  

This year’s expanded Summit program will include interactive debates covering regulatory and legislative activity, emerging wireless broadband applications, broadband video developments, net neutrality/network management, broadband deployment, and forecasts from top Wall Street analysts.   In addition, Pike & Fischer’s Broadband Advisory Services unit will unveil the results of its exclusive 2008 Communications Industry Survey: Views on the U.S. Economic & Regulatory Climate at the event.

The Summit will play host to a wide range of industry experts representing telcos, cable companies, content companies, equipment providers, industry associations, think tanks, and academia -- including: 

• Richard S. Whitt, Washington Telecom & Media Counsel, Google
• Joseph W. Waz, Vice President, External Affairs & Public Policy Counsel, Comcast
• Gregg Rothschild, Chief Counsel, U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee
• Dana Shaffer, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau, FCC
• Gigi B. Sohn, President & Co-Founder, Public Knowledge
• Paul E. Misener, Vice President, Office of Global Public Policy, Amazon.com
• Mark McElroy, PhD, Senior Vice President, Connected Nation
• James Cicconi, Senior Executive Vice President for External & Legislative Affairs, AT&T
• Mike McCurry, Partner, Public Strategies
• Christopher Wolf, Partner, Proskauer Rose LLP
• Jonathan Banks, Senior Vice President, Law & Policy, USTelecom
• Kathryn C. Brown, Senior Vice President, Public Policy Development & Corporate Responsibility, Verizon
• Richard Cotton, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, NBC Universal
• Kathleen Ham, Vice President, Federal Regulatory Affairs, T-Mobile USA
• Daniel Mitchell, Vice President of Legal Affairs, NTCA
• Jeffrey A. Campbell, Senior Director, Technology and Trade Policy of Global Policy and Government Affairs, Cisco Systems, Inc.
• Larry S. Landis, Commissioner, Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission
• …and many others.

About Pike & Fischer’s Broadband Policy Summit
The Summit is Washington’s preeminent telecom forum for the debate and exchange of ideas about how technological advances, legal and policy developments, and changing business models are shaping the future of the broadband industry. To learn more, review the entire Summit program, and register, visit www.broadbandpolicysummit.com. Group, government and academic registration rates, and sponsorships are available, as is complimentary access for members of the credentialed press.  Relevant, published white paper submissions are now being accepted at customercare@pf.com.

About Pike & Fischer
Established in 1939 and a BNA Company since 1984, Pike & Fischer publishes authoritative legal, regulatory, and business information services and events. Visit the company’s web site at www.pf.com.



For More Information Contact:
Meg Hargreaves
President & Publisher
Pike & Fischer
301-562-1530 ext 229
mhargreaves@pf.com