Bundling communications policy for the new US administration

The USA does not have a coherent framework for communications policy. The author sets out what should be the prime concerns of a communications policy aimed at serving a pluralistic society in an ‘electronic age’. She describes the current situation, in which responsibilities for communications are divided over a wide range of government organisations. The Communications Act of 1934 is under review, and the author focuses on major aspects of the debate, and lists suitable areas for government involvement. She concludes by stressing the need for the new US administration to provide a coherent structure for communications policy making to encourage the essential free flow of information.     

Satellite communications : US policy considerations

Regulatory decisions have controlled the possible technical alternatives in the use of artificial satellites, for both domestic and international telecommunications, since the enactment by the US Congress of the Communications Satellite Act of 1962. At the same time, advancements in technology have caused satellite systems to play a larger role in telecommunications. An updating of the 1934 Communications Act would allow for a more definitive statement of national satellite policy and for a revised regulatory standard. This article reviews some of the principle factors which have influenced communications satellite policy, and offers additional issues for consideration that can affect the development of communications satellite markets, systems and services.     

Race,ethnicity, and telecommunications policy issues of access and representation: Centering communities of color and their concerns

This paper examines how and why activist groups representing marginalized communities of color are increasingly engaging in communications technology policy issues, particularly in relation to issues of digital access and representation. It explores three distinct but related case studies to disentangle the issues and concerns of a range of communities of color, and the challenges and opportunities for their advocates in navigating the highly technical communications technology policy arena: the first case study, which centers on the NAACP's original opposition to net neutrality, reveals the primacy of issues surrounding the “digital divide” to populations of color, and the difficulties of engaging in technical conversations surrounding Internet governance when issues of access persist. Meanwhile, the second case reviews the campaign by Free Press to promote set-top box liberalization as an issue of representation and diversity to both policymakers and citizens. The final case, which examines the work of the Tribal International Carrier to build an alternative internet service network for Native populations, highlights the precarity which organizations must strategically navigate in order to mitigate the influence of both the state and large corporations over Internet policy issues in order to both serve and represent their constituents. In all, this paper presents and extends upon a novel approach to communications policy research, foregrounding the need to integrate critical race frameworks and, relatedly, to center the breadth, depth, and lived experiences of communities of color, which can therein facilitate more inclusive digital media and communication environments and policy structures.     

Platforms,systems competition,and innovation: Reassessing the foundations of communications policy

Focusing on the effects of policy on investment and innovation this paper examines whether the conceptual foundations of sector regulation are aligned with the current technological and economic conditions of advanced communications. One conclusion is that the prevailing theories and practices are only adequate if the policy challenge can be reasonably approximated as a static or steady-state problem but they may have serious shortcomings if this is not possible. The article proceeds with a review and critical examination of two approaches that could augment or possibly replace the traditional approach under conditions of dynamic competition—the theory of platform markets and systems approaches. Both frameworks model aspects of competition in interconnected systems in more detail and offer novel insights to inform communications policy in an era of continuous change. Nonetheless, important theoretical and implementation gaps remain that will require additional efforts by researchers and practitioners.     

Regulatory inertia versus ICT dynamics: The case of product innovations

This article conjectures that the legacy industry-specific regulation that has governed the telecommunications sector for a long time is in basic conflict with the dynamics and product innovations that characterize the modern information and communications technology (ICT) sector. Reasons for the failure of legacy regulation to promote product innovations are explained and proposals for alternatives, such as deregulation and regulatory reform are discussed. Both regulation and competition policy are more difficult for ICT than for other sectors. Therefore both, regulation and competition policy may need reforms in order to deal with new problems. The most drastic and most realistic alternative to legacy-type regulation remains deregulation and a move to competition policy. Symmetric regulation, smart regulation, quasi-Coasean approaches and subsidies all have some limited applicability to specific situations, but are all associated with complications that have to be resolved, while competition policy is a comprehensive alternative. Last-mile access and gatekeeper access are analyzed as two main areas of legacy regulation, which are in danger of being exported to other ICT areas. Such exports may negatively affect the dynamics of the ICT industry. Rather than being exported, legacy regulations should be reduced in order to enhance product innovations.     

Convergence and new regulatory frameworks: A comparative study of regulatory approaches to Internet telephony

As an archetype of convergence, Internet telephony has been questioning the continuing appropriateness of the current telecommunications policy and regulation. This article examines how policy makers and regulators in the US, the EU, Japan and Singapore have responded to the challenges brought about by Internet telephony. Their common approach seems to apply the existing regulatory framework to this new service. The authors argue that those responses will not be aligned with the dynamically changing communications environment and explain two key shifts taking place in the communications industry that should be taken into account to form more appropriate regulatory frameworks.     

Cable TV in Austria. Between telecommunications and broadcasting

In this paper the development of the Austrian cable television (CATV) sector is discussed, focusing on its delicate interconnections with telecommunications and broadcasting, the blurring borderlines and resulting regulatory problems. The policy network is identified and recent changes in the CATV policy and strategy are highlighted, In particular, developments towards a stronger convergence within the electronic communications sector. The case study illustrates peculiarities and shortcomings of Austrian media and communications policies on the way toward a future-oriented information infrastructure.     

A dynamic policy license for flexible spectrum management

Electromagnetic spectrum for wireless communications is fully allocated by regulatory authorities, but this does not mean that it is fully utilized. Demand for greater capacity and new services requires new regulatory and technical models for spectrum sharing. This paper develops a regulatory model denoted the dynamic policy license. The dynamic policy license combines the assurances to licensees that come from holding a fixed license while maintaining regulatory flexibility. A dynamic policy license is similar to a traditional spectrum license that specifies a bandwidth, power, center frequency, location, and other parameters. However, one or more of these parameters is subject to change by the regulator over time. The allowed changes are restricted by the license to provide assurances and predictability to the licensee. The opportunities and challenges that this presents to both regulators and licensees is described. For instance, the dynamic policy license can be a regulatory tool for more aggressive spectrum sharing.     

Growth in the “new economy”: US bandwidth use and pricing across the 1990s

An acceleration in the growth of communications bandwidth in use and a rapid reduction in bandwidth prices have not accompanied the US economy's strong performance in the second half of the 1990s. Overall US bandwidth in use has grown robustly throughout the 1990s, but growth has not significantly accelerated in the second half of the 1990s. Average prices for US bandwidth in use have fallen little in nominal terms in the second half of the 1990s. Policy makers and policy analysts should recognize that institutional change, rather than more competitors of established types, appears to be key to dramatic improvements in bandwidth growth and prices. Such a development could provide a significant additional impetus to aggregate growth and productivity.     

美国本地电话的竞争政策及其启示

促进本地电话竞争是美国 1 996年颁布新的《通信法》的一个重要目标。本文将讨论美国促进本地电话竞争的政策目标和主要政策措施 ,分析美国本地电话竞争政策的实施效果 ,最后着重讨论美国本地电话竞争政策对我国的若干启示。     

Whose call is it? Targeting universal service programs to low-income households’ telecommunications preferences

Do universal service programs give customers what they want? This paper uses new survey data to study low-income households’ telecommunications choices in the United States and to consider the degree to which such households’ preferences are addressed by existing universal service programs. The research shows that households that choose only one form of telecommunications increasingly are choosing a mobile phone, while those that choose to have both modes of communications are shifting their usage towards their mobile phones. These trends are less pronounced among higher-income households. One implication for universal service policy is that traditional subsidies for landline phones are increasingly ineffective in reaching low-income households such subsidies are designed to help; subsidies for acquiring and using mobile phone services might be more beneficial to low-income households than traditional subsidies for landline phones.     

Standardization as emerging content in technology education at all levels of education

Integration of standardization into different levels of technology education has surfaced as a critical issue for educational practitioners and policy makers at national and regional (APEC, EU) level. In this paper, we describe and analyze empirical data collected from 118 educational experiences and practices about technology standards and standardization in 21 countries of a regional variety. Specifically, this research examines standardization education programs these countries have implemented, and explores suggestive indications for the design and development of an educational policy for standardization. Online surveys, offline interviews, face-to-face meetings and case studies have been used to determine the way these standardization education programs are segmented and implemented in different contexts. The findings are consolidated into a framework for standardization education. The framework presents an applicable combination of target groups (who), appropriate learning objectives (why), probable program operators (where), prospective contents modules (what), and preferred teaching methods (how). This framework may contribute to planning and implementing more inclusive standardization education programs.     

Information–communications technologies (ICT) and transport: does knowledge underpin policy?

Cities around the world attempt to imitate the Silicon Valley model by adopting public policies aimed at attracting new high-tech industries and Research and Development activities. The adoption of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) as elements in a public policy is based on the expectations of policy-makers regarding the potential to harness technology to ameliorate key urban problems such as a deteriorating environment, congestion or lack of communications between citizens and institutions. More specifically, policy-makers are exposed to knowledge about ICT, which is supplied by a variety of sources like scientists, popular media and their own experience. This paper argues that two gaps typify the flow of knowledge consumed by urban decision-makers: the knowledge gap, namely the uncertainty about the actual impacts of ICT on urban issues, and the communication gap which relates to the biases and noise emanating from the process of communicating knowledge between different actors on potential ICT impacts. The communications gap can, to a large extent, be explained by language and cultural differences between scientists and policy-makers. To illustrate and emphasise the gaps and their role in the ICT policy-making process, in this paper a comparison is made with the more familiar case of transportation policy making.     

Developing information policy

The author first considers some of the policy issues that arise in connection with the creation of new information, primarily scientific and technical information. He then discusses specific policy problems stemming from communications and information storage and retrieval systems and their use. A broader integrative view of this field could help develop a national information policy for the future. Such integrative work remains to be done, and suggestions for future studies in this area are given.     

The political economy of satellite business

Satellite communications systems are the outcome of the fusion of big governments, high technology and big business, whose needs they meet. As a major growth sector they are becoming extremely important in economic terms. But satellite communications raise wider issues of the relationships between rich and poor countries and within rich countries. They will crucially influence the location of economic activity and the future prospects for countries in terms of access to information, decision making and income. The article discusses these questions and suggests how Europe might improve its position. It also argues that participation in public policy on satellite communications should be opened to a wider range of parties.     

Telecommunications policy-making in New Zealand during the last two decades

During the last two decades the traditional roles of the major providers of telecommunications services have changed due to internal and external economic, political, social and technological pressures. This paper, using case-study research, describes the ‘change agents’ and formal structures involved in telecommunications policy-making processes, taking note of a move towards, and need for, a coherent national communications policy. It illustrates how decisions have been made and lays the groundwork for a more detailed study of the evolutionary changes in telecommunications policy-making in New Zealand in subsequent years.     

Network control in global communications

The author examines the impact of technology on international communications in terms of the changing concept of the telecommunications ‘user’, the development of private networks, and the emergence of service bureaus. After defining and discussing the resulting policy problems, he briefly reviews the policy process and questions its adequacy in the new world of telecommunications.     

Telecommunications policy and the pleasure principle

Most serious discussion of telecommunications policy is governed by a utilitarian framework in which the success of communications networks is measured by some criterion of productivity. This exclusive emphasis creates undesirable rigidities in large communications systems upon which industrialized societies are so dependent. An analysis of productivity constraints on the social flexibility of existing networks is offered in support of an argument for deliberately building playfulness, in line with certain modest proposals, into the organization of emerging networks of communication.