The Internet beyond the bits on the wire - Technology, Economics and Policy

Schedule and location

Monday June 13th - Tuesday June 14th 

Tampere University of Technology (Korkeakoulunkatu 1), Tietotalo-building, Room TB222

Registration 

Registration is open May 10th  - June 3rd .

Speaker

Professor Henning Schulzrinne, Columbia University, USA.

Organizer

Professor Jarmo Harju, Tampere University of Technology, Finland, Finland.

Abstract

The Internet used to be defined primarily as a small set of
protocols and algorithms. Now, it has become a global ecosystem,
defined by the intersection of technology, infrastructure, economics
and policy considerations. The short course will try to address
questions such as:

* How does the Internet work physically and what are challenges to deploying new Internet access infrastructure, particularly in rural and low-income areas?
* How do DOCSIS, GPON and VDSL compare? What are their limits?
* How is money routed in the Internet among the key players - carriers, platform providers and advertisers?
* Is QoS viable in the Internet?

* What are the trade-offs of implementing zero-rating?
* Can we have an all-wireless Internet? What are key spectrum challenges?
* Most countries have a very small number of facilities-based Internet service providers. Why is that? Can this change? What are the plausible models for competition and where do they face challenges?
* What is Internet peering and what are the economic and policy considerations?
* What are definitions of the open Internet and how does this relate to network neutrality?
* What are key Internet policy questions and how are they decided?
* Can we get a secure Internet? If not, what can we secure and how? Can we make Internet security usable by non-experts?

The course includes a basic introduction to microeconomics and principles of telecommunication law in the US and Europe. A background
in network technology is helpful, but the course will provide related readings for students with a general engineering background.

Detailed Program

 Day 1

8:30-9:00

Registration and coffee

9:00 - 10:00 

Internet as infrastructure

10:00 - 10:15  Break
10:15 - 11:00  The Internet economy
11:00 - 12:00 Lunch
12:00 - 13:00 

Who rules the Internet?

13:00 - 13:15  Break
13:15 - 14:00 Internet access: the first and last mile are the hardest
14:00 - 14:15  Break
14:15 - 15:45  Internet backbone: may I talk to you?
15:45 - 16:00 Break
16:00 - 17:00  Spectrum: the final frontier


Day 2

8:30-10:00

Review of microeconomics

10:00 - 10:15  Break
10:15 - 11:00 

Monopolies, duopolies and competition

11:00 - 12:00 Lunch
12:00 - 13:00 

Network neutrality, open Internet and pricing: what's fair? what's efficient?

13:00 - 13:15  Break
13:15 - 14:00

Ensuring universal access to communications

14:00 - 14:15  Break
14:15 - 15:45  Cybersecurity: can we make the Internet safe for humans?
15:45 - 16:00 Break
16:00 - 17:00  Exam



Credit points

Doctoral students participating in the seminar can obtain 2  credit points. This requires participating on all of the days and completing the exam.

Registration fee

This seminar is free-of-charge for Inforte.fi member organization's staff and their PhD students. For others the participation fee is 750 €. The participation fee includes access to the event and the event materials. Lunch and dinner are not included.