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Will the U.S. and EU Telecommunications Policies Converge? A Survey

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  • Ingo Vogelsang
Abstract
Currently, U.S. and EU telecommunications policies differ in many respects. For example, wholesale access to local loops is largely deregulated in the U.S. but continues to be regulated in the EU. Or, the U.S. has an elaborate universal service policy with a set of universal service funds and specific policies for high-cost regions and low-income users, while universal service policies in the EU are much more sporadic. Will the forceful technical and market developments that are associated with IP convergence, next generation access (NGA) and mobile broadband (4G) lead to a convergence of telecommunications policies in the U.S. and EU? Based on a survey of the relevant U.S. and EU related economics literature the current paper addresses this issue for the five policy areas of interconnection, wholesale loop access, net neutrality, spectrum policy and universal service. While IP convergence and the spread of 4G are likely to enhance policy convergence, NGA could have a different effect, because the penetration of and the competitive properties of NGA depend crucially on legacy infrastructures that differ between the two continents.

Suggested Citation

  • Ingo Vogelsang, 2014. "Will the U.S. and EU Telecommunications Policies Converge? A Survey," CESifo Working Paper Series 4843, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_4843
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    Cited by:

    1. Briglauer, Wolfgang & Cambini, Carlo & Grajek, Michał, 2018. "Speeding up the internet: Regulation and investment in the European fiber optic infrastructure," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 613-652.
    2. Joan Calzada & Begoña García-Mariñoso & Jordi Ribé & Rafael Rubio & David Suárez, 2018. "Fiber deployment in Spain," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 256-274, June.
    3. Bourreau, Marc & Cambini, Carlo & Hoernig, Steffen, 2015. "Geographic access markets and investments," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 13-21.
    4. Marc Bourreau & Carlo Cambini & Steffen Hoernig, 2015. "Price distortion under fixed-mobile substitution," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 42(4), pages 441-454, December.
    5. Briglauer, Wolfgang & Camarda, Enrico Maria & Vogelsang, Ingo, 2019. "Path dependencies versus efficiencies in regulation: Evidence from “old” and “new” broadband markets in the EU," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(8), pages 1-1.
    6. Briglauer, Wolfgang & Cambini, Carlo & Fetzer, Thomas & Hüschelrath, Kai, 2017. "The European Electronic Communications Code: A critical appraisal with a focus on incentivizing investment in next generation broadband networks," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(10), pages 948-961.
    7. Vitor Miguel Ribeiro, 2018. "Dark fiber price regulation in the absence of facilities-based competition," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 45(2), pages 243-278, June.
    8. Wolfgang Briglauer, 2015. "How EU sector-specific regulations and competition affect migration from old to new communications infrastructure: recent evidence from EU27 member states," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 194-217, October.
    9. Bertschek, Irene & Briglauer, Wolfgang & Hüschelrath, Kai & Krämer, Jan & Frübing, Stefan & Kesler, Reinhold & Saam, Marianne, 2016. "Metastudie zum Fachdialog Ordnungsrahmen für die Digitale Wirtschaft: Im Auftrag des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi)," ZEW Expertises, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research, number 147040.
    10. Cambini, Carlo & De Masi, Sara & Paci, Andrea & Rondi, Laura, 2018. "CEO compensation in EU telecom companies: Does the state design the right incentives?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(6), pages 474-488.

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    JEL classification:

    • L43 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Legal Monopolies and Regulation or Deregulation
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software
    • L96 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Telecommunications
    • L98 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Government Policy

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