Policy issues in the development of telecommunications

The paper examines the specific features of the telecommunications system which determine its character, and the regulatory issues which arise out of a situation of potential conflict between the telecommunications network operators (PITs) and the providers and consumers of value added services transacted on the network. It looks at the policy options available to reconcile such conflicts, and at how EC policies are shaping the future of the European telecommunications ststem. It concludes that current development in telematics are aimed mainly at business users, and that safeguards for the private custormer will be necessary in order to ensure the provision of a socially equitable service.     

Enhancing the user role in the development of technical standards for telecommunications

The paper examines the actual and potential roles of business users of telecommunications services in influencing the development of technical standards. Variours institutional structures in the user community are examined as they relate to user particioation in formally constituted standards development arganizations. Discreparcies between users and suppliers in participatory motivations, strategies and resources are noted. The standardization process in telecommunications emerges as a technology-push initiative led by the suplly industries. However, structural changes in the telecommunications industries have resulted in new approaches to standards making. As a result, standards have acquired a new significane in terms of user control user technical and service evolution. Using the development of European standards for digital wireless telephony as an example, it is argued that this new standardization environment mandates a much more active role for users. However, it is also argued that the user stake in telecommunications standards is not of an equivalent nature to the supplier stake. Thus, a theortical framework is presented which that effective user involvement will require the development of a parallel institutional structure for the user community.     

Policy issues raised by direct broadcast satellites

Direct Broadcast Satellites, which transmit television programs directly to the viewer's home, present several policy issues that will have to be resolved during the next few years. Some of these issues transcend DBS, hence they must be resolved in a larger framework. Those that exist essentially within the framework of DBS include issues at the program producer's end, issues at the viewer's end, and technology issues. These latter are particularly important because inappropriate or unwise policy choices made now may nullify the benefits promised by improved technology.     

城市化发展需正视的八个问题

改革后我国的城市化获得了快速发展,城市成为国民经济发展的中心和龙头,但同时也暴露出许多问题。本文详细分析了我国城市化发展中表现出的八大问题。这些问题影响了我国城市化的健康发展,必须给予足够的重视,采取适当的策略进行规范。     

Competition and investment in telecommunications

This study examines the relationship between competition and investment by Incumbert Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) in US telecommunications markets. A panel data model and a dynamic panel data model that have not been used in previous studies are applied in this analysis. Results of the panel data model suggest that investment by ILECs is positively related to the market share of Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs), and negatively to the absolute number of CLECs. However, once the persistence in ILECs’ investment behaviour is controlled for using the dynamic model, our measures of the existing competition from CLECs, at best, have a weak effect on ILECs’ investment. Therefore, while strengthening competition in the telecom sector may be key to restoring telecom investment, it is uncertain that competition spurred by the mandatory sharing policy in this sector stimulates ILECs’ incentives to invest in new infrastructure.     

Rural collective construction land use in China: Policy issues and options

Land policy in China has been changed dramatically in the past two decades. Though the reform of rural farm land and the urban construction land has been launched successively, little has been done about the rural construction land by now, which has made a negative impact to the land utilization. This paper fi rst reviews the policy terms about the rural construction land, then gives a brief critique on them under the background of social-economic transformation in China, and discusses the driving forces and implications of institutional changes in the end. We think the further reform on the rural collective construction land is imperative. Firstly, as a production factor, it should be endowed with property attribute, and secondly the use right of rural construction land should be separated from its ownership so that it can be transacted in a competitive market, which will benefi t the building of harmonious society.     

Estimating demand curve in the Korean VoIP telecommunications market

The VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) market in Korea is showing rapid growth since domestic carriers initiated the service in 2006. These carriers are now seeking new revenue sources from various convergence services and are increasing investment into VoIP. In particular, local exchange carriers (LECs), formerly reluctant to invest in technologies that would cannibalize their local telephone revenue, have started to invest in VoIP, in recognition of the current convergence of media and the telecommunications industry, as well as in the face of intensifying competition. In this study, we determined that VoIP call rates and landline telephony call rates were the most important factors affecting VoIP call demand, in addition to network externality. We also verified that landline telephony is no longer a supplement to VoIP, but rather, a substitute that has considerable influence on VoIP call demand. Empirical evidence is expected to be considered in policy decision making on current issues in the IT industry, such as access prices or competitiveness assessment. The current empirical analysis on the Korean VoIP industry and the adherence to lessons learned from policy enforcement should provide valuable information to countries seeking to develop their own VoIP industries, as well as to businesses developing new strategies based on the VoIP market.     

Price competition in the market for business telecommunications services

We estimate a two-step control-function model that relates incumbent prices for small-business telecommunications services to the number of facilities-based entrants, cost, demand, regulatory conditions, and a correction for endogenous market structure. Results show that the price effects from entry are understated in ordinary least squares regressions. When controlling for endogeneity, prices are negatively related to the number of entrants, indicating that markets without a competitive presence could exhibit market power. These findings should prove helpful to the Federal Communications Commission and other State regulators determining the conditions under which price and other forms of regulation may be relaxed.     

Congressional perceptions of emergent telecommunications

This paper presents the results of an interview survey of congressman and staff in regard to their perceptions and attitudes on the potential use of emergent telecommunications for communicating with constituents. Six channel configurations are identified as representative of emergent telecommunication characteristics. The paper describes the potential usefulness, advantages, and disadvantages of each emergent channel, as perceived by U.S. Representatives and senior staff in the stratified judgement sample taken from the 93rd Congress. The results indicate that as a group the respondents perceive cable television and information retrieval as potentially the most useful emergent channels, closed circuit television and the videoconference as somewhat useful, and cable TV polling and the video- phone as least useful. The effects of using emergent channels are perceived as being beneficial or detrimental, depending on the personal and political value judgements of the particular Representative or staff person, and on the specific conditions of use and applicable public policy assumptions. But because of the essential importance of constituent communication to congressman, both as politicians and public officials, many have favorable perceptions of new channels which offer a clear advantage over existing channels and which meet a well-defined need.     

An assessment of telecommunications reform in developing countries

This paper analyzes the impact of policy reform in basic telecommunications on sectoral performance using a new panel data set for 86 developing countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean over the period 1985 to 1999. We address three questions. First, what impact do specific policy changes—relating to ownership and competition—have on sectoral performance? Second, how is the impact of change in any one policy affected by the implementation of the other, and by the overall regulatory framework? Third, does the sequence in which reforms are implemented affect performance? We find that both privatization and competition lead to significant improvements in performance. But a comprehensive reform program, involving both policies and the support of an independent regulator, produced the largest gains: an 8 percent higher level of mainlines and a 21 percent higher level of labor productivity compared to years of partial and no reform. Interestingly, the sequence of reform matters: mainline penetration is lower if competition is introduced after privatization, rather than at the same time.     

Asymmetric access price regulation in telecommunications markets

In liberalized telecommunications markets, the incumbent typically enjoys several advantages over any entrant. Regulation in such asymmetric markets stimulates competition in the short and the long term if retail prices are low and the entrant's profits are high so that entry is encouraged. I show that asymmetric access price regulation with a cost-based access price for the incumbent and an access markup for the entrant is more successful than cost-based access price regulation applied to incumbent and entrant. This is a robust prediction with respect to the pricing strategies considered. Such asymmetric access price regulation is in accordance with European legislation.     

Policy issues in the teaching of economics in cyberspace: research design, course design, and research results

More than 50 colleges, universities, and community colleges now offer economics instruction in cyberspace, and this number is growing rapidly. Despite the implications of this growth for the quality of economics instruction, only a small fraction of those institutions venturing into cyberlearning are doing so in a carefully monitor the quality and performance of their online courses. It does so within the context of reporting the course design, research design, and research results of two cyberlearning studies conducted at the University of California.     

Capacity-based versus time-based access charges in telecommunications

The Spanish telecommunications regulator recently introduced a capacity-based access system. Under this regulation, entrants pay a flat charge for the interconnection circuits leased to the incumbent operator and are able to freely use these circuits to provide telecommunications services. This paper determines the optimal capacity-based access charge in the presence of time varying demand and capacity constraints and compares this regulation with the traditional time of use access system. The analysis shows that either type of regulation allows the incumbent to recover its fixed costs and can promote the same pattern of entry. Finally, the optimal capacity-based access charge when the entrant has market power is derived.      

The determinants of market share for the `dominant firm' in telecommunications

The present study examines the factors affecting the market share of the dominant firm in long-distance telecommunications, AT&T. A theoretical model is specified which includes competing long-distance rates (e.g., those of MCI and U.S. Sprint), price-cap regulation and advertising expenditures as determinants of the dominant firm's market share. Using intercity long-distance carrier charges for 1984–1994, this study points out the importance of AT&T's own rate structure, those of its major competitors, and government regulations in determining AT&T's market share over time.     

Interdependence between regulation and technological innovation in the telecommunications sector

Telecommunications has attracted increasing public attention because of technological and regulatory dynamics which have transformed this into the backbone of the future information society. This article foucses on the interrelationship between technological development and regulation in three sections. First, attention is paid to technological development and the question as to what degree regulation is determined by technology. Next is discussed the role of European Union regulation, which affects technological innovation and diffusion in many direct and indirect ways. The final section address the remaining role of national regulation.     

Interdependence between regulation and technological innovation in the telecommunications sector

Telecommunications has attracted increasing public attention because of technological and regulatory dynamics which have transformed this into the backbone of the future information society. This article foucses on the interrelationship between technological development and regulation in three sections. First, attention is paid to technological development and the question as to what degree regulation is determined by technology. Next is discussed the role of European Union regulation, which affects technological innovation and diffusion in many direct and indirect ways. The final section address the remaining role of national regulation.     

西部大开发物流要先行--关于新疆发展物流业的几点思考

物流被称为继降低资源消耗、提高劳动生产率之后的“第三利润源泉”。新疆是现代物流发展的“一块未被开垦的处女地”，具有发展物流的诸多有利条件。西部大开发战略的实施为新疆物流的发展提供了千载难逢的机遇。新疆发展物流业的有利条件和不利因素。