FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 27, 1997
CONTACT: Paige Darden
(202) 482-7002
pdarden@ntia.doc.gov

WASHINGTON, DC --The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will hold a day-long forum on the use of the Internet to make telephone calls and to explore the new communications opportunities this technology presents. The forum will take place on Thursday, September 4, 1997 at the National Press Club in Washington. The following is a schedule of the day's activities:

8:30 - 8:45 a.m. Registration

8:45 - 9:00 Larry Irving, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and Administrator of NTIA, welcoming remarks

9:00 - 10:15 Panel: Internet Telephony at a Glance

Daniel Berninger, VocalTec Communications Ltd.

Larry Fromm, Dialogic Corporation

Nicholas Economides, Stern School of Business at New York Univ.

10:15 - 10:30 Break

10:30 - 12:00 Panel: Policy Perspectives

Diane J. Cornell, Federal Communications Commission

Carl Johnson, NY State Dept. of Public Service

Tom Kalil, National Economic Council

William Lehr, MIT Internet Telephony Council

12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Lunch Break

1:30 -2:15 Panel: Evolving Applications (includes a demonstration of Internet Telephony)

Jeff Pulver, Pulver.com

Shane Mattaway, Netspeak Corporation

2:15 -3:30 Panel: Future Directions

Joseph Rinde, MCI

Dr. Stephen M. Marcus, AT&T Labs

Daniel Weitzner, Center for Democracy and Technology

3:30 - 3:45 Break

3:45 - 5:15 Open Discussion

Moderated by Assistant Secretary Larry Irving and Michael Spencer, Technology Solutions Company

5:15-5:30 Closing Remarks, Assistant Secretary Larry Irving

The forum is free and is open to the public. NTIA will try to accommodate persons who want to participate in all or in part of the forum; however, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. The forum will also be broadcast live on the Internet. Information about how to access the live broadcast will be available on NTIA's home page at www.ntia.doc.gov. To RSVP, please call Patrice Washington, of NTIA Public Affairs, at 202-482-7002.

NTIA serves as the principal adviser to the Executive Branch on domestic and international telecommunications and information policy issues. Additional information is available on NTIA's home page at http://www.ntia.doc.gov.

NOTE TO ASSIGNMENT EDITORS:

The 1:30 -2:15 p.m. session involving the internet telephony demonstration will be the best time to send camera crews.