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