Regulation to deregulation: the telecommunications sector and industrialization : Evidence from the Pacific rim and basin

Evidence from the Pacific and elsewhere suggests that countries deregulate their telecommunications sectors as economic development proceeds. Theoretical considerations support this, since arguments for (against) deregulation are mostly applicable to industrialized (developing) countries. Several such arguments are surveyed. Actual instances of telecommunications deregulation in Pacific countries are also cited to confirm this hypothesis. The scarcity and simplicity of telecommunications in early development stages favour cooperative, regulated solutions; as technological progress makes services more abundant and varied, competitive, deregulated approaches become more attractive.