IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/idt/journl/cs6903.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Regulation of NGN: Structural Separation, Access Regulation, or No Regulation at All?

Author

Listed:
  • Fabian KIRSCH

    (Berlin University of Technology)

  • Christian von HIRSCHHAUSEN

    (Dresden University of Technology)

Abstract

Since the introduction of Next Generation Networks (NGNs) by telecommunication network operators, national regulators have begun to adapt their access regulation regimes to the new technological conditions. The regulatory reactions gravitate towards three distinct regulatory trajectories: unregulated competition, access regulation, and structural separation. We first analyze the extent of market power in access Networks in NGNs from a technological perspective. Second, we use case studies to identify patterns between technological and market conditions and regulators' reactions in selected countries. We find that market power in the access network is likely to prevail. Regulatory reactions differ with the extent of infrastructure competition and the regulators position in the trade-off between promoting investment and protecting competition

Suggested Citation

  • Fabian KIRSCH & Christian von HIRSCHHAUSEN, 2008. "Regulation of NGN: Structural Separation, Access Regulation, or No Regulation at All?," Communications & Strategies, IDATE, Com&Strat dept., vol. 1(69), pages 63-84, 1st quart.
  • Handle: RePEc:idt:journl:cs6903
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://repec.idate.org/RePEc/idt/journl/CS6903/CS69_KIRSCH_HIRSCHHAUSEN.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oecd, 2005. "Next Generation Network Development in OECD Countries," OECD Digital Economy Papers 89, OECD Publishing.
    2. Joshua Gans & Stephen King, 2003. "Access Holidays for Network Infrastructure Investment," Agenda - A Journal of Policy Analysis and Reform, Australian National University, College of Business and Economics, School of Economics, vol. 10(2), pages 163-178.
    3. de Bijl, Paul & Peitz, Martin, 2008. "Innovation, convergence and the role of regulation in the Netherlands and beyond," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 744-754, December.
    4. Avner Shaked & John Sutton, 1982. "Relaxing Price Competition Through Product Differentiation," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 49(1), pages 3-13.
    5. Graeme Guthrie, 2006. "Regulating Infrastructure: The Impact on Risk and Investment," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 44(4), pages 925-972, December.
    6. de Bijl, P.W.J. & Peitz, M., 2007. "Innovation, Convergence and the Role of Regulation in the Netherlands," Other publications TiSEM 21cc8b22-82a4-48da-87d0-6, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. Marcus, J. Scott, 2005. "Is the U.S. Dancing to a Different Drummer?," MPRA Paper 2514, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. M. Cave & L. Correa & P. Crocioni, 2006. "Regulating for Non-price Discrimination: The case of UK Fixed Telecoms," Competition and Regulation in Network Industries, Intersentia, vol. 7(3), pages 391-416, September.
    9. Timothy Tardiff, 2007. "Changes in industry structure and technological convergence: implications for competition policy and regulation in telecommunications," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 109-133, August.
    10. Cave, Martin, 2006. "Six Degrees of Separation : Operational Separation as a Remedy in European Telecommunications Regulation," MPRA Paper 3572, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Howell, Bronwyn, 2014. "Separation anxieties: Structural separation and technological diffusion in nascent fibre networks," 20th ITS Biennial Conference, Rio de Janeiro 2014: The Net and the Internet - Emerging Markets and Policies 106840, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    2. Juan José Ganuza & Karla Perca & Maria Fernanda Viecens Trocello, 2010. "Las Redes de Nueva Generación en España. Situación actual y retos para el futuro," Economic Reports 02-2010, FEDEA.
    3. Scott Marcus & Dieter Elixmann, 2010. "International Regulatory Comparisons: The Evolution of IP-based Fiber," Chapters, in: Anastassios Gentzoglanis & Anders Henten (ed.), Regulation and the Evolution of the Global Telecommunications Industry, chapter 9, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Gonçalves, Ricardo & Nascimento, Álvaro, 2010. "The momentum for network separation: A guide for regulators," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 355-365, August.
    5. Florian Engl & Nina Czernich & Tobias Kretschmer & Thomas Kiessl & Oliver Falck, 2009. "Regulatory Framework for Next-Generation Access Networks Across Europe," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 7(1), pages 35-40, 04.
    6. Howell, Bronwyn, 2014. "Structural Separation and Technological Diffusion," Working Paper Series 4353, Victoria University of Wellington, The New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.
    7. Ragoobar, Tricia & Whalley, Jason & Harle, David, 2010. "The interplay between market factors and regulation in next-generation broadband: evidence from Europe," 21st European Regional ITS Conference, Copenhagen 2010: Telecommunications at new crossroads - Changing value configurations, user roles, and regulation 44, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    8. repec:ers:journl:v:xv:y:2012:i:sie:p:157-194 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Florian Engl & Nina Czernich & Tobias Kretschmer & Thomas Kiessl & Oliver Falck, 2009. "Regulatory Framework for Next-Generation Access Networks Across Europe," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 7(01), pages 35-40, April.
    10. Yang, Yu & Song, Luona & Lv, Tingjie & Chen, Xia, 2017. "Analysis on the Key Factors of the Network Separation in China in the Era of Telecommunications 4.0," 14th ITS Asia-Pacific Regional Conference, Kyoto 2017: Mapping ICT into Transformation for the Next Information Society 168550, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    11. Isabel Soares & Paula Sarmento, 2012. "Unbundling in the Telecommunications and the Electricity Sectors: How Far should it Go?," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 157-194.
    12. Fabian Queder, 2020. "Towards a vertically separated broadband infrastructure: The potential role of voluntary separation," Competition and Regulation in Network Industries, , vol. 21(2), pages 143-165, June.
    13. repec:ces:ifodic:v:7:y:2009:i:1:p:14567010 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. repec:vuw:vuwscr:19314 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Howell, Bronwyn, 2014. "Structural Separation and Technological Diffusion," Working Paper Series 19314, Victoria University of Wellington, The New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.
    16. Beltrán, Fernando, 2014. "Fibre-to-the-home, high-speed and national broadband plans: Tales from Down Under," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(8), pages 715-729.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Howell, Bronwyn, 2014. "Structural Separation and Technological Diffusion," Working Paper Series 4353, Victoria University of Wellington, The New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.
    2. Howell, Bronwyn, 2014. "Separation anxieties: Structural separation and technological diffusion in nascent fibre networks," 20th ITS Biennial Conference, Rio de Janeiro 2014: The Net and the Internet - Emerging Markets and Policies 106840, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    3. repec:vuw:vuwscr:19314 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Keizo Mizuno & Ichiro Yoshino, 2015. "Overusing a bypass under cost-based access regulation: underinvestment with spillovers," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 29-57, February.
    5. Bastian Henze & Charles Noussair & Bert Willems, 2012. "Regulation of network infrastructure investments: an experimental evaluation," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 1-38, August.
    6. Vogelsang Ingo, 2013. "The Endgame of Telecommunications Policy? A Survey," Review of Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 64(3), pages 193-270, December.
    7. Mizuno, Keizo & Yoshino, Ichiro, 2012. "Distorted access regulation with strategic investments: Regulatory non-commitment and spillovers revisited," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 120-131.
    8. Alessandro Avenali & Giorgio Matteucci & Pierfrancesco Reverberi, 2010. "How does vertical industry structure affect investment in infrastructure quality?," DIS Technical Reports 2010-08, Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza".
    9. Annemijn van GORP & Catherine MIDDLETON, 2010. "Fiber to the Home Unbundling and Retail Competition: Developments in the Netherlands," Communications & Strategies, IDATE, Com&Strat dept., vol. 1(78), pages 87-106, 2nd quart.
    10. Henning Never, 2010. "Risk Sharing for Next Generation Access Networks – Necessary Adjustments of the Present European Regulatory Framework for Electronic Communication Networks and Services," Chapters, in: Morten Falch & Jan Markendahl (ed.), Promoting New Telecom Infrastructures, chapter 9, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    11. Howell, Bronwyn, 2014. "Structural Separation and Technological Diffusion," Working Paper Series 19314, Victoria University of Wellington, The New Zealand Institute for the Study of Competition and Regulation.
    12. Ingo Vogelsang, 2012. "Incentive Regulation, Investments and Technological Change," Chapters, in: Gerald R. Faulhaber & Gary Madden & Jeffrey Petchey (ed.), Regulation and the Performance of Communication and Information Networks, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. Martin Lundborg, 2010. "Lessons Learned from the Regulation of LLU for the Future Regulation of NGA Networks," Chapters, in: Morten Falch & Jan Markendahl (ed.), Promoting New Telecom Infrastructures, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    14. Evangelinos, Christos, 2013. "Infrastrukturpreise: Eine normativ-theoretische Analyse," Discussion Papers 1/2013, Technische Universität Dresden, "Friedrich List" Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Institute of Transport and Economics.
    15. Noriaki Matsushima & Keizo Mizuno, 2012. "Infrastructure Upgrades and Foreclosure with Coexistence of Service-Based and Facility-Based Firms," ISER Discussion Paper 0860, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    16. Müller, Christine & Growitsch, Christian & Wissner, Matthias, 2010. "Regulierung und Investitionsanreize in der ökonomischen Theorie. IRIN Working Paper im Rahmen des Arbeitspakets: Smart Grid-gerechte Weiterentwicklung der Anreizregulierung," WIK Discussion Papers 349, WIK Wissenschaftliches Institut für Infrastruktur und Kommunikationsdienste GmbH.
    17. Fluet, Claude & Garella, Paolo G., 2002. "Advertising and prices as signals of quality in a regime of price rivalry," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 20(7), pages 907-930, September.
    18. Paulson Gjerde, Kathy A. & Slotnick, Susan A., 2004. "Quality and reputation: The effects of external and internal factors over time," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(1), pages 1-20, May.
    19. Arve, Malin & Zwart, Gijsbert, 2023. "Optimal procurement and investment in new technologies under uncertainty," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    20. Ashantha Ranasinghe & Xuejuan Su, 2023. "When social assistance meets market power: A mixed duopoly view of health insurance in the United States," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 61(4), pages 851-869, October.
    21. Schreiner, Lena & Madlener, Reinhard, 2022. "Investing in power grid infrastructure as a flexibility option: A DSGE assessment for Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Next Generation Network; deregulation; access regulation; structural separation.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:idt:journl:cs6903. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: BLAVIER Thomas (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/idatefr.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.