The Atomic Age of Data: Policies for the Internet of Things - Agenda

8:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.                       Session I.  Understanding the Internet of Things

To begin the conference, participants will consider the transition to the Internet of Things.  What are the enabling technologies and the most disruptive and innovative applications?  How will the Internet of Things impact basic values and standards of living?  Specifically, what economic, social, and civil impacts will they have? What aspects of these phenomena will impact communications policy, and vice versa?

10:45 a.m. – 12:15 a.m.                     Session II.  Case Study: The Smart City

Participants will apply the concept of the Internet of Things to the scenario of developing a smart city in which the management of health, education, energy and water resources, environmental impact, transportation, public safety, social services, and buildings are all made better through the use of data and communications systems.  Are existing communications infrastructures and governance policies capable of supporting such a smart city?  How do the IP transition, mobile broadband, privacy policies, and cloud computing figure in the smart city’s future? What are the appropriate responsibilities for city, state, national, and international institutions?  What are the current regulatory, economic, and social barriers towards achieving the smart city in the future?

2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.                         Working Groups

Participants will divide into three groups, each assigned to look at the Internet of Things through a different lens. Each group should consider, through that lens: (a) what general goals need to be in place to help transition into the era of IoT, (b) what needs to happen in the short and long terms to facilitate these goals, and (c) what are the appropriate policy changes necessary to advance this process?

Working Group A:         Communications Infrastructure
                                         e.g., mobile broadband and fiber backbones, IP transition, (un)licensing of spectrum, cloud                                          architecture

Working Group B:         Adoption & Services
                                         e.g., digital inclusion issues, provision of public goods, role of anchor institutions (Eds, Meds,                                          libraries), privacy and security, data collection and access

Working Group C:         The Role of Government
                                         e.g., facilitating investment, protection of privacy & security, reduction of regulatory hurdles,                                          appropriate governance regimes and bodies, structuring public/private partnerships

Friday, August 15, 2014

8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.                       Session IV.  Interim Reports from the Working Groups

This session will allow all groups to hear a brief discussion of each Working Group’s thinking so that the ultimate approaches can be more attuned to each other.

10:20 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.                     Session V.  Developing Cohesive Recommendations

After discussing the working group reports, this session will focus on how to integrate all of the recommendations into a cohesive proposal.  Are there consistencies among the group recommendations that can be developed further?   Are there common themes that each working group can focus on during their remaining deliberations?

Saturday, August 16, 2014

8:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.                       Session VI.  Refinement of Working Group Reports and Recommendations
The crux of the conference is to distill the working groups’ suggestions into a set of simple, achievable actions.  At this important plenary session, participants will critique, improve upon, and, if appropriate, unify Working Group reports.  The outcomes will provide the foundation for the final written report of the Conference.