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The spectrum access rights granted by the Federal government to spectrum users come with the expectation of protection from harmful interference. As a consequence of the growth of wireless demand and services of all types, technical progress enabling smart agile radio networks, and on-going spectrum management reform, there is both a need and opportunity to use and share spectrum more intensively and dynamically.

This paper examines the case for usage-based pricing in the Internet by extending earlier work on congestion pricing in a single network to the case of multiple, competing carriers. A settlements problem arises in this context because of the need to allocate revenues among the carriers. The settlements and pricing problems are closely related.

Abstract: Much of the technical literature on spectrum sharing has been on developing technologies and systems for non-cooperative) opportunistic use. In this paper, we situate this approach to secondary spectrum use in a broader context, one that includes cooperative approaches to Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA). In this paper, we introduce readers to this broader approach to DSA by contrasting it with non-cooperative sharing (opportunistic use), surveying relevant literature, and suggesting future directions for research.

Abstract Several factors suggest that meaningful network neutrality rules will not be enshrined in near-term US telecommunications policy. These include disagreements over the need for such rules as well as their definition, efficacy and enforceability.

Abstract A growing number of communities in the United States and abroad are investing in publicly-owned “last-mile” broadband infrastructure platforms to deliver telephone, video, and broadband data services. In a number of jurisdictions, policy-makers have chosen to insist that municipalities interested in offering communication services over publicly-owned infrastructure must do so on a wholesale-only basis, providing open access to multiple retail service providers.

Abstract: Access to broadband is widely recognized as a prerequisite for a community's economic welfare and the delivery of local government services. In communities where the private sector is perceived as having failed to deliver adequate and affordable broadband services, municipal and county governments face pressures to stimulate broadband deployment.

Abstract: Several factors suggest that meaningful network neutrality rules will not be enshrined in near-term US telecommunications policy. These include disagreements over the need for such rules as well as their definition, efficacy and enforceability.

Historically, the justification for municipal provisioning of “last-mile” communications infrastructure has focused on the natural monopoly aspect of wireline infrastructure. Growing interest in wireless ISPs, municipal hot spots, and access to public space for siting wireless infrastructure suggests new and expanded opportunities for local government participation in telecommunication services.

Municipal Electric Utilities (MEUs) are increasingly expanding into telecommunications services. Such entry is interesting in several respects. First, MEUs marry two interesting potential pathways for the growth of telecommunications access infrastructure and services: public ownership of last-mile facilities and electric power company expansion into telecommunications. Second, municipalities are key early adopters of next generation access technology in the form of both Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and broadband wireless (e.g., WiMax) systems. Third, MEUs are at the nexus of the debate over the proper role for local government in promoting broadband Internet access. Most homes in the United States are served by investor-owned local telephone and cable television providers, using companyowned wireline infrastructure. These providers have generally opposed municipal entry, arguing that it will crowd out private investment and represents an unfair and less efficient form of competition. A number of states have acted to limit -or in some cases -to promote such entry. Before engaging in this debate, it is necessary to have a clearer picture of the current state of municipal entry and the local demographic, cost, industry, and policy factors that influence its evolution. To address this need, this paper reports the results of an empirical analysis of MEUs that provide communications services to the public. This analysis shows that MEUs are more likely to offer such services if they also provide internal communication services to support their electric utility operations (scope economies); are relatively close to metropolitan areas (lower backhaul costs); are in markets with fewer competitive alternatives (cable modem and DSL service availability limited); and which are less encumbered by regulatory barriers to entry (in communities in states which do not restrict municipal entry into telecommunication