| Leaders from four top telecom and entertainment | | | | overnight, a number that the company hopes to |
| companies gave keynote speeches at the recent | | | | further improve upon in the years to come."The |
| TelecomNext trade show in Las Vegas. Leaders | | | | marketplace is telling us that there's a great |
| from four top telecom and entertainment | | | | opportunity out there," Seidenberg said. "And we |
| companies gave keynote speeches at the recent | | | | are investing to get ourselves on the right side of |
| TelecomNext trade show in Las Vegas.The CEOs | | | | the big ideas that will push our industry |
| of Verizon Communications, Time Warner Cable, | | | | forward."Another topic that came up repeatedly in |
| Walt Disney Co., and NTT all seemed to agree | | | | the speeches was the danger of excessive |
| that increasing levels of convergence and user | | | | government regulation."No matter how appealing |
| choice is putting the future of telecom firmly in | | | | government regulation may sound, it will be bad |
| the hands of consumers."We're seeing a great | | | | for my business, bad for your business, and bad |
| shift in how consumers spend money, and our | | | | for consumers," Iger commented in his address. |
| business models need to be flexible," said Disney | | | | "Consumers will be paying more for less choice. |
| CEO, Robert Iger. "It used to be said that content | | | | The free market is working. There's not policy |
| was king, but the consumer is king."Verizon CEO, | | | | justification for the government getting involved in |
| Ivan Seidenberg, meanwhile, cited his company's | | | | how TV offerings should be structured."Time |
| multibillion dollar investment in building an FiOS fiber | | | | Warner CEO, Glenn Britt, also voiced concerns |
| optic network, which has been driven almost | | | | about over-regulation, saying that providers in this |
| entirely by strong consumer demand. The | | | | new era of telecommunications shouldn't be |
| network will eventually be used to deliver both | | | | regulated in the same ways as telephone |
| broadband and digital video service to at speeds | | | | companies of the past. "Regulations should be |
| of up to 100 Mbps.Markets where Verizon's FiOS | | | | used judiciously," he argued. "You can expect us |
| service has already been deployed have averaged | | | | to oppose any regulation that tilts toward one |
| an impressive 14% penetration rate, almost | | | | side."(Originally published by TeleClick. |