What a difference a year has made. With the activity on Capitol Hill and in the state regulatory bodies the industry is facing potential threats to growth. On the other hand the pulver order has shown signs of a pro Internet strategy guiding us to a clear future. These distinguish speakers share their insight as to the potential market impact regulation may bring to VoIP.

Dorothy Attwood joined SBC in November 2002, and is the Senior Vice President-Regulatory Planning and Policy for SBC Telecommunications, Inc.

Attwood previously worked for the Federal Communications Commission where she served most recently as Chief of the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau for two years until August 2002. During her six-year tenure at the FCC, Attwood provided strategic and policy counsel to two FCC Chairmen--Michael Powell and William Kennard. She served as Senior Legal Advisor to Chairman Kennard on all common carrier, enforcement and consumer matters and as Chief of the Enforcement Division of the Common Carrier Bureau.

Earl Comstock is a partner at Sher & Blackwell LLP, a Washington, D.C. based law firm. Earl heads the telecommunications practice and represents competitive local exchange carriers, wireless carriers, and Internet providers before Congress, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the courts.

Prior to joining Sher & Blackwell in January, 1998, Earl worked for 10 years in the United States Senate as professional staff for the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and as chief counsel and legislative director for Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). Earl was one of the principal Senate staff involved in the negotiation and drafting of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Howard Symons has more than 25 years of experience in communications law and policy. A partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo since 1988, Mr. Symons represents cable, wireless, and telecommunications companies and their trade associations on a wide range of matters before the FCC and Congress and in the courts. Mr. Symons served as outside counsel to the cable, wireless, and long distance industries during consideration of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and continues to advise clients in all of these sectors. He currently represents the cable industry in connection with that industry's deployment of broadband and IP services.

Richard S. Whitt is Vice President for Federal Law and Policy at MCI, Inc. In that capacity, Rick is responsible for overseeing the Company’s public policy and regulatory matters before the Federal Communications Commission. In addition, Rick assists in developing and coordinating MCI’s advocacy before the Executive Branch and U.S. Congress, with an emphasis on Internet policy issues. Rick recently authored several influential white papers advocating a comprehensive new legal framework based on IP network “layers” concepts.

Prior to joining MCI in 1994, Rick practiced telecommunications law in two Washington, D.C. law firms. He graduated cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 1988, and magna cum laude from James Madison University in 1984.