Emerging competition among telecommunication services and exponential growth in new network systems such as the Internet and World-Wide Web have provided individuals with many new opportunities at home and in the workplace, even transforming our daily lives. Many of these changes, however, are not unique but rather reflect a general trend unfolding in many industries, in which the presence of new competition and network services have created challenging issues for regulators to consider when formulating decisions aimed at promoting the interests of the general public. Moreover, the rapid pace of technological change raises the fundamental question about whether regulators can formulate new policies that serve the needs of the country without adversely affecting competition and retarding innovation.
These original essays examine the critical economic and public policy issues confronting regulators today. The contributors, all eminent experts in the field, discuss topics ranging from the emerging economic benefits of the provision of network-related services to the pricing of interrelated services when competition is absent in one segment. The discussion outlines new dimensions confronted by regulators as they seek to shape the path these industries will follow in the twenty-first century.
Policymakers, scholars, practitioners, and those interested in learning about the provision of network services and the attendant economic and regulatory problems will find this volume useful for understanding some of the difficult questions that are being asked and solutions that are being offered.
Werner Sichel is Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics at Western Michigan University. Donald L. Alexander is Associate Professor at Western Michigan University.
