Conference Program

Rob Frieden serves as Pioneers Chair in Cable Telecommunications and Professor at Penn State University where he teaches courses in management, law and economics.  He also provides legal, management and market forecasting consultancy services in such diverse fields as wireless communications, international telecommunications business development, Internet commerce and carrier facilities interconnection.  Professor Frieden has written several books, published dozens of articles in academic journals and provided commentary in a variety of trade periodicals. In 1999, Professor Frieden and three colleagues completed a ten-year project culminating in publication of a three volume comprehensive West Law treatise on communications law.  His most recent book, Managing Internet-Driven Change in International Telecommunications provides a comprehensive, 480 page examination of converging information, communications and entertainment technologies.

Before accepting an academic appointment, Professor Frieden served as Deputy Director International Relations for Motorola Satellite Communications, Inc.  In this capacity, he provided a broad range of business development, strategic planning, policy analysis and regulatory functions for the IRIDIUM mobile satellite venture.

Professor Frieden has held senior policy making positions in international telecommunications at the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.  In the private sector, he practiced law in Washington, D.C., and served as Assistant General Counsel at PTAT System, Inc. where he handled corporate, transactional and regulatory issues for the nation's first private undersea fiber optic cable company.

Professor Frieden holds a B.A., with distinction, from the University of Pennsylvania (1977) and a J.D. from the University of Virginia (1980).