Factors Affecting the Expansion of Telephone Lines in Developing Countries with Special Reference to Pakistan and the Asia Pacific Region

Using the Asia Pacific region as a frame of reference, the purpose of this paper is to examine the factors underlying the expansion of telecoms systems in Pakistan. The results from factor and discriminant analysis suggest that much of the main telephone line growth in the 1980s can be explained by a limited number of factors. Most important appears to be economic performance in the previous decade. Apparently this growth creates pressures that can be alleviated only through expanded infrastructure, including main telephone lines. The growth in main tele-phone lines also appears to occur more or less simultaneously with that of electricity generating capacity and paved roads. Linkages with expanded railroad tracks and irrigated acreage are much weaker.