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Establishing a regulatory environment that will stimulate the deployment of broadband infrastructure and create a level playing field for service providers are the top priorities of Kevin Martin, the new chairman of the FCC.

"It's important to create a welcoming environment for entertainment and the technology you see on the show floor," said Martin, during his keynote address on Tuesday afternoon.

Martin fielded questions posed by Matthew Flanigan, president of the Telecommunications Industry Association, and Walter McCormick Jr., president and CEO of the United States Telephone Association. When asked what he thought was the hot technology the show, Martin said he was "impressed" with the phones that roam between LANs and cellular networks.

"Today it looks more like the consumer electronics show with the emphasis on video deployment and wireless services," Martin said.

Martin said convergence will likely impact the commission as well as the network. The FCC "probably needs to re-examine its "silo" approach to regulation, he said. In the meantime, however, the commission can do things to address the fundamental regulatory difficulties service providers face that unintentionally create barriers to getting into each other's businesses, he added.

For instance, the Supreme Court's "Brand X" decision on opening cable networks will provide a framework for how the FCC looks at broadband infrastructure and service issues. However, the general direction the FCC is taking to deregulate the environment so companies can deploy new services will be "pretty consistent," Martin said. The commission will get a chance to demonstrate what Martin means when the FCC considers franchising issues related to the delivery of content via IPTV this fall, he noted. Martin also said that it's up to Congress to decide if regulation is necessary to change the silo structure of the Telecom Act of 1996.

"Any clarity Congress can provide is fine with me. In the meantime, we will do all we can to develop tools that provide for flexibility concerning aspects such as defining broadband," Martin said.

As for wireless, the FCC will continue to identify spectrum and the best way to use it. Martin said the commission has been working closely with the National Telecommunications and Information Association to secure spectrum for advanced data, adding that there are plans to auction that spectrum next year.

When asked if the commission would be likely to moving to the open hearing format it used when considering the 911/VOIP issue, Martin answered, "Yes."

"Much of what comes before the commission is filed in paper or in ex parte, and the public is not always able to see it," Martin said. "It is useful for us and the public to try to explore more open hearings in the future."