Financing telecommunications for rural development

Evidence shows that there has been serious underinvestment in telecommunications facilities in developing countries (DCs). This article analyses the reasons for this neglect, and demonstrates that a major restrictive factor in the development of telecommunications facilities in DCs — particularly in rural areas — has been the absence of adequate foreign exchange financing. Through an analysis of three major mechanisms for financing investment — supplier credits, multilateral lending and bilateral lending — and of the policies of the major institutions involved, the article identifies those policies that will stimulate the expansion of rural telecommunications in DCs.     

Appropriate telecommunications for economic development

A vision of improved telecommunications infrastructure leading to dramatic improvements in the economies and the quality of life in developing countries is now supported by an increasing body of evidence. Economic justification of the necessary investment depends on the availability of appropriate low cost technology, such as microprocessor-based digital satellite earth stations costing under $10000. Such technology is technically feasible, but its availability will depend on the emergence of a consensus among telecommunications lenders, borrowers and manufacturers that the benefits can be achieved and therefore the necessary mass market will emerge.     

Financing and other issues in telecommunications development

Implementation of telecommunications infrastructure throughout developing countries is a prerequisite to national development. The fundamental question, argues Dr Parker, is how can developing countries pay for the capital investment in the necessary telecommunications equipment. The need is to encourage an institutional structure that can stimulate innovative, lower-cost appropriate rural telecommunications technologies without imposing excessive risks on the national telecommunications monopoly. With sucessful models to follow, it will be easier to achieve consensus between developing country borrowers, international lenders and telecommunications manufacturers.     

On the role of telecommunications in development

Numerous studies document the relationship between telecommunications and economic development. The main types and relative merits of these are summarized. The paper argues that more of the same will do little to help promote accelerated telecommunications investment in developing countries as needed. Rather, the efforts should now mainly concentrate on conveying existing sector knowledge to governments and international agencies. The paper focuses on examples of simple, proven tools which can be used to supplement telecommunications project analysis for this purpose.     

Regional aid for telecommunications in Europe: A force for economic development

This article reviews research work on telecommunications and economic development which can be applied to the problems faced in the less favoured regions of Europe. The authors draw on work carried out under the auspices of the Commission of the European Communities into the disadvantages these regions face in telecommunications supply and use, and the benefits which would accrue from investment. The priorities for regional aid and recommended actions for a European programme are also discussed. The authors conclude that the emphasis should be on the provision of advanced business services and the stimulation of demand for those services, in order to encourage economic growth. General network infrastructure digitalization should be left to PTTs to undertake as part of their normal investment programme.     

Action for telecommunications development: STAR: a European community programme

This article describes the European Communities' STAR programme: Special Telecommunications Action for Regional Development. It begins by situating STAR in the context of European Community policy, and explains how Community financial instruments are being used. The analysis which led to the formulation of the programme is briefly described, and an outline is provided of the main components of the regulation establishing the programme. The article concludes by presenting the current status of STAR activity.     

Economic growth,telecommunications development and productivity growth of the telecommunications sector: Evidence around the world

This paper studies the relationships between economic growth, telecommunications development and productivity growth of the telecommunications sector in different countries and regions of the world. In particular, this study assesses the impact of mobile telecommunications on economic growth and telecommunications productivity. The results indicate that there is a bidirectional relationship between real gross domestic product (GDP) and telecommunications development (as measured by teledensity) for European and high-income countries. However, when the impact of mobile telecommunications development on economic growth is measured separately, the bi-directional relationship is no longer restricted to European and high-income countries. This study also finds that countries in the upper-middle income group have achieved a higher average total factor productivity (TFP) growth than other countries. Countries with competition and privatization in telecommunications have achieved a higher TFP growth than those without competition and privatization. The diffusion of mobile telecommunications services is found to be a significant factor that has improved the TFP growth of the telecommunications sector in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).     

Aspects of innovation: Public policy issues in telecommunications development

The author considers the potential for innovation in various telecommunication technologies. Unfamiliar concepts may be generated by the introduction of a new technology, the uses of technology, abuses and their consequences, and cross-fertilisation with other fields. After discussing possible futures, he analyses the implications of a general model of change associated with the introduction of a major technology, and concludes by stressing the urgent need for research aimed at anticipating desirable and undesirable impacts.     

An integrated model for analyzing the development of the 4G telecommunications market in Taiwan

Previous studies of development trends in the telecommunications industry have estimated market potential but have seldom integrated analyses of customer preferences and macro-environmental factors (political, economic, social, and technological analyses). In order to more accurately analyze 4G technological trends and market penetration and provide implications for businesses and policymakers, we use conjoint analysis to analyze customers' preferences for telecommunications technology and integrate the results with data from scenario analysis and the Delphi method to address possible scenarios for the development of 2G, 3G, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), and long-term evolution (LTE) in Taiwan. We then use the innovation diffusion model to forecast the sales volume for these four technologies in Taiwan over the next 10 years. Finally, we provide suggestions for policymaking and strategic actions for 4G stakeholders.     

Interactive telecommunications

A note on the development, scope and aims of a new degree course in telecommunications at the Schools of the Arts of New York University.     

Electronic markets for telecommunications transport capacities

Until recently inter-carrier sales and purchase of telecommunications transport capacities were mainly based on long-term bilateral contracts between capacity supplying and demanding operators. Not long ago various firms started to supplement this traditional decentralized organization of the capacity business by setting up institutionalized electronic market places to trade network capacity products similar to traditional commodity exchanges. This paper portrays the mechanics of the new capacity trading approach along with its advantages and disadvantages for both established and new carriers. Eleven electronic carrier capacity market places were identified around the globe and analyzed with regard to the volume and structure of carrier capacity products being traded. Results suggest that operators of electronic capacity markets face severe difficulties in motivating major carriers to participate in the market. Former transmission network monopoly holders are particularly reluctant to participate in electronic carrier capacity market places. Incumbents fear that their participation could accelerate the decline of transport capacity prices. On a more general level the analysis suggests that new intermediaries in electronic markets are likely to fail when (1) supply and demand is highly concentrated and (2) trust in the quality of the products traded and in the commercial settlement processes is not firmly established.     

Supra-national regulation for supra-national telecommunications carriers?

The article reviews the extraordinary number of international ventures by major telecommunications organizations and explores problems for traditional national regulation that these global networks create. A theoretical model is defined that illustrates the adjustment process of different national policies to each other. The choice of various supra-national regulatory arrangements is shown to be affecting substantive policy. The article then discusses options for coordination and concludes that the concrete problems created by supra-national carriers do not justify the hidden cost of elaborate mechanisms of supra-national policy. Since such coordination has traditionally been used to prop up monopoly arrangements, a better approach for the foreseeable future is to encourage more national policy experimentation and focus less on international policy coordination.     

Competition in telecommunications

The author examines the impact of competition from both domestic and international perspectives. He provides a critique of the pro-competition argument, although a number of advantages of competition are also outlined. The advantages are discussed in relation to equipment and services. International trends towards competition are then described and the disadvantages of such trends are debated in relation to cross-subsidization, interconnection, the telecommunications manufacturing industry, and the market structure. Finally, competition in the international arena is discussed.     

European telecommunications — plan for the future

Within the overall context of the political union of Europe, the author centres on the structural changes that would be required for a European telecommunications system. The suggested structure involves the unification of the management of European telecommunications services, currently the responsibility of independent national organizations.     

Cyprus: A new centre for telecommunications

A rapid expansion of telecommunications facilities on Cyprus in recent years is bringing the island to the fore as a focus for communications in the Middle East region. Its strategic position in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, a communications infrastructure well in advance of that offered by most of the surrounding countries, and fully developed ties with European and Arab countries, are accelerating this already pronounced trend.     

NSF telecommunications program

Since 1973, the US National Science Foundation has supported research projects on selected topics dealing with telecommunications applications and policy. In a recent reorganization, the Telecommunications Program became part of the Division of Applied Research, which accepts unsolicited proposals and can support work with immediate or long-range application potential.     

A telecommunications taxonomy

With the advent of new technologies and recent changes in regulations and economies, telecommunications services have grown chaotically. This article describes a taxonomy which uses common terms and concepts to classify the services and features available in telecommunications systems, for planners and policy makers. The structure provides a common basis for Europeans in particular to discuss the formation of new broadband telecommunications networks. It can also be used to identify areas of R&D and to plan future services. As an example, the authors apply the taxonomy to suggest the kinds of elements, properties and rules which might form the basis of a taxonomy knowledge base in telecommunications systems.