Open Technology Initiative
 

Open Technology Initiative

The Open Technology Initiative (OTI) formulates policy and regulatory reforms to support open architectures and open source innovations and facilitates the development and implementation of open technologies and communications networks.

OTI promotes affordable, universal, and ubiquitous communications networks through partnerships with communities, researchers, industry, and public interest groups. OTI is committed to maximizing the potentials of innovative open technologies by studying their social and economic impacts – particularly for poor, rural, and other underserved constituencies. As an independent non-profit initiative, OTI provides in-depth, objective research, analysis, and findings for policy decision-makers and the general public.

Staff

Sascha Meinrath, Director
meinrath@newamerica.net

Victor Pickard, Senior Research Advisor
pickard@newamerica.net

Robb Topolski, Chief Technologist
topolski@newamerica.net

Dan Meredith, Staff Technologist
meredith@newamerica.net

James Losey, Program Associate
losey@newamerica.net

Chiehyu(Julianne) Li, Program Associate
li@newamerica.net

Aaron Kaplan, Adjunct Technologist
kaplan@opentechinstitute.org

Joshua King, Adjunct Technologist
josh@opentechinstitute.org

Steven Mansour, Adjunct Technologist
steven@opentechinstitute.org

Steering Committee

  • Susan Crawford (Professor, University of Michigan Law School; Board Member, ICANN; Coordinator, One Web Day)
  • Peter Eckersley (Staff Technologist, Electronic Frontier Foundation)
  • Chris Libertelli (Senior Director, Government and Regulatory Affairs, Skype)
  • Andrew McLaughlin (Head of Global Public Policy and Government Affairs, Google)
  • Sascha Meinrath (Director, Open Technology Initiative)
  • Alec Ross (Co-Founder & Executive Vice President, One Economy)
  • Ben Scott (Policy Director, Free Press)
  • Gigi Sohn (Executive Director, Public Knowledge)
  • Barry Steinhardt (Director, Technology and Liberty Program, ACLU)
  • Tim Wu (Professor, Columbia Law School)

Publications

Getting Connected

The current national discussion to expand access and use of broadband occurring in Washington has created an ideal time for foundations to become engaged in the issue. The current economic recession, combined with an unprecedented effort by government to directly invest in the deployment and adoption of broadband, provides an enormous opportunity for community foundations to help support beneficial projects and initiatives in communities across the country. 

Benjamin Lennett, Dan Meredith, James Losey, Joshua Breitbart | October 29, 2009

Broadband Truth-in-Labeling

The Open Technology Initiative of the New America Foundation is calling for Truth-in-Labeling by our nation's broadband operators. Drawn from similar useful disclosure requirements by lenders, these Broadband Truth-in-Labeling disclosure standards will give the marketplace a much-needed tool that clarifies and adds meaning to the terms and conditions of the service being offered. 

Benjamin Lennett, Chiehyu Li, Dan Meredith, James Losey, Robb Topolski, Sascha Meinrath | September 23, 2009

100 Megabits or Bust!

When the Federal Communications Commission delivers a National Broadband Plan to Congress in February 2010 the United States will not be among the first countries to implement a national broadband strategy. Taiwan, Japan, and Korea all introduced national broadband strategies in the beginning of this decade and fifteen European Union Member states proposed National Broadband Strategies in 2003. This report reviews successful strategies and goals from six of these countries: Japan, Korea, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Taiwan.

Chiehyu Li, James Losey | September 16, 2009

Comments of the New America Foundation - NBP Public Notice #1

Determining an appropriate definition of broadband is a critical part of the Commission's development of a National Broadband Plan. An appropriate definition is essential not only for establishing "what is broadband" and "where is it available," but also for shaping the future trajectory of telecommunications innovation in the United States.  The Open Technology Initiative of the New America Foundation makes the following recommendations for the Commission to consider in defining broadband:  

Benjamin Lennett, Chiehyu Li, James Losey, Robb Topolski | September 1, 2009

Bandwidth Caps for High-Speed Internet in the U.S. and Japan

As part of the Open Technology Initiative's continuing research to compare international broadband capabilities and policies, we have completed this report comparing bandwidth or usage cap policies between Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the United States and Japan. Bandwidth caps are imposed limits on the amount of data or traffic a subscriber can consume over their Internet connection.

Chiehyu Li, James Losey | August 10, 2009

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Events

DC ACM Fall Lecture Series

The New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative is hosting The Washington DC Chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery Fall Lecture series.

11/02/2009 - 7:30pm
11/02/2009 - 9:30pm

DC ACM Fall Lecture Series: Dr. Radia Perlman:"Fun With Key Management"

The New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative is hosting The Washington DC Chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery Fall Lecture series.

10/05/2009 - 7:30pm
10/05/2009 - 9:30pm

Beyond Broadband Access

From September 22 to 24, the New America Foundations Open Technology Initiative hosted Beyond Broadband Access: Data Based Information Policy for a New Administration. An experts workshop, Beyond Broadband Access created an opportunity for small group of highly skilled experts from around the world to seek breakthrough insights which can be applied to current policy challenges.

09/22/2009 - 10:30am
09/24/2009 - 1:30pm

DC ACM Fall Lecture Series: Current Issues in Human-Computer Interaction and Public Policy

On September 21, Dr. Jonathan Lazar discussed current issues in computer-human interaction and public policy. Dr. Lazar described how government policy impacts the work done in human-computer interaction, and will discuss the current status of policy initiatives in a number of areas.

09/21/2009 - 7:30pm
09/21/2009 - 9:30pm

The End of Spectrum ‘Scarcity'

As the FCC begins its year-long process to recommend a National Broadband Plan, one starting point is to unlock publicly-owned assets that can facilitate ubiquitous, affordable broadband access. Wireless spectrum remains the most cost-effective and rapid means to deliver broadband access to rural and unserved urban residents. But as mobile broadband use continues to increase exponentially, demand for spectrum will rapidly outpace availability under current spectrum management policies.

06/25/2009 - 12:15pm
06/25/2009 - 1:45pm

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FCC Filings

Click here for a list of all of our FCC filings.

The Wireless Future Program, along with allies in the public interest and high-tech communities, frequently submits comments in Federal Communications Commission proceedings of relevance to our policy goals.





Goals & Funders

Open Technology Initiative Priorities & Goals:
  • Gather top technologists, tech-savvy policy analysts, & strategic thinkers from across the United States to inform current policy and regulatory debates.
  • Conduct assessments of open technologies as a means to lower the economic costs of doing business for various market, NGO, and government sectors.
  • Build bridges between community developers, entrepreneurs, academia, and industry to create partnerships with international NGOs and research groups.
  • Study social impacts of open technologies and architectures.
  • Provide objective research results to policy and regulatory decision-makers.
  • Implement real-world open technology pilot projects and proofs of concept.
  • Support initiatives to open the public airwaves.
  • Expand the use of open source software, interoperability through open APIs, and increased access of FOSS technologies.
  • Perform benchmark testing of open technologies for consumers and the general public.
Funders:
  • Benton Foundation
  • Ford Foundation
  • Free Press
  • Google
  • Media Democracy Fund
  • Open Internet Coalition
  • Public Knowledge
  • Social Science Research Council

Bandwidth Caps for High-Speed Internet in the U.S. and Japan

As part of the Open Technology Initiative's continuing research to compare international broadband capabilities and policies, we have completed this report comparing bandwidth or usage cap policies between Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the United States and Japan. Bandwidth caps are imposed limits on the amount of data or traffic a subscriber can consume over their Internet connection. The report compares caps across multiple pricing tiers for residential high-speed Internet services including cable modem, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) or fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) and Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL). The report reveals a large discrepancy in the usage limits ISPs place on consumers in the two countries, with U.S. providers substantially limiting the amount of bandwidth their subscribers can consume. The data has been juxtaposed with the price and the speed of the service offering and the complete data and sources are available in an appendix at the end of the report.
For the full report with appendix click to download the PDF.

BTOP and BIP Broadband Funding Application Guides

OTI has prepared five application guides for NTIA and RUS grant opportunities as well as a strategic guidance document regarding BTOP infrastructure funding.  These guides provide information on the application process, eligibility requirements, and for the Infrastructure, Public Computer Center, and Sustainable Broadband Adoption applications, sample timelines and a recommended breakdown of responsibilities in order complete the application. The applications have been updated as of July 23, 2009 to reflect the most up-to-date available information from RUS and NTIA and are available from the links below:

Summary, Concerns, and Strategic Guidance Regarding Notice of Funds Availability for BTOP
Broadband Infrastructure Application Guide for BIP
Broadband Infrastructure Application Guide for BTOP
Public Computer Centers Program Application Guide
Sustainable Broadband Adoption Application Guide
Application Guide for the State Broadband and Development Grant Program

 
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