Open AccessUniversal Service and Competition
Author(s) -
John de Ridder
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of telecommunications and the digital economy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2203-1693
DOI - 10.18080/jtde.v9n3.437
Subject(s) - competition (biology) , universal service , service (business) , industrial organization , business , interconnection , telecommunications , economics , marketing , computer science , ecology , biology
The author is advising the Cook Islands on how to introduce mobile competition, drawing on the experience of Australia. In both countries the impact of infrastructure competition on mandated geographically uniform pricing is being (or proposed to be) addressed with a levy. The different approaches to measuring costs and setting the levy are contrasted.The paper proposes that a universal service levy has to be coupled with consistent access pricing to have efficient competition consistent with universal service policy. Interconnection between networks is free but the pricing of resold wholesale services should be consistent with the aims of the levy; to ensure universal service and efficient competition.