Telecommunications Law

Catalog description

This course offers students an introduction to a wide range of regulatory and policy issues affecting the telecommunications industries. These industries include traditional radio and television broadcasting, cable, satellite, telephone (wired and wireless), broadband, and the internet. This class is especially useful for students interested in careers in telecommunications, electronic commerce, public policy, information science, business management, law, information policy, and other related fields. Students taking this course will learn how regulations can affect business opportunities and how public policy shapes the development of the world's communications infrastructure.New developments in technology, business practices and regulatory philosophy are leading to dramatic changes in the regulatory climate in telecommunications. The goal of this course is to help you understand the implications of these chances for business strategy and for society as a whole. Some of the questions we will consider include: Why do we regulate telecommunications? What are the legal parameters of regulation? How does the regulatory process work? Why do "experts" disagree on the proper way to regulate? How do regulations influence business strategy and industry development? How do regulations affect the way individuals communicate and acquire information? How can we choose the best policies for the future to balance reliance on marketplace forces versus the need for Government intervention? This course emphasizes an economic and legal approach to regulation. Readings will include primary documents such as FCC regulations, court cases, and statutes as well as historical and economic analyses of telecommunications regulation.