Indo-US FTA: Prospects for the Telecommunication Sector

Since telecommunication is one of the main drivers of economic growth and globalization, WTO (World Trade Organization) negotiations and New Age FTAs (Free Trade Agreements) have focused on liberalizing trade in this sector. The present paper analyses the possibilities of liberalizing trade in telecommunication services if India and its largest trading partner-the US-enter into a bilateral agreement. The study found that India and the US have trade complementarities in telecommunication services and that it should be a priority sector in the FTA negotiations. The study identified certain areas such as R&D related to telecommunication and broadband infrastructure where collaboration between companies of both countries would be mutually beneficial. The study found that telecommunication services have been significantly liberalized in the US FTAs-much beyond the scope of the GATS and the Reference Paper on Basic Telecommunications. While the current policy regime in India is consistent with some of the requests made by the US in its bilateral negotiations, for meeting others, the policy regime needs to be examined and, if required, reformed. The present paper suggests certain reforms which would enhance the productivity, efficiency and global competitiveness of the sector and enable the country to benefit from the bilateral liberalization.Indo-US FTA, GATS, bilateral agreements, telecommunication, services

Telecommunications reform in China

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/96890/1/MBA_Chong_Frank_Winter_1999Final.pd

Structural conditions for business model design in new information and communication services : a case study of multi-play and MVolP in Denmark and Norway

The report analyses the structural conditions for the design of business models regarding new information and communication services. The services examined are mobile VoIP (MVoIP) and multi-play – services that already are on the market, however in their infancy, and which represent different kinds of services in terms of structural conditions market-wise and in regulatory terms. As the two service categories are relatively new on the market, dominating business model designs have not yet settled and the strategic choices of companies are very open. Being on the market, the discussion on the business model design, however, transcends the purely speculative stage. The structural conditions studied are the market conditions including the regulatory conditions. In addition, the different technological solutions are examined, as MVoIP as well as multi-play include different technology solutions for the delivery of services to users. This means that the analysis includes technological as well as market-based and regulatory elements. The aim of the analysis of the structural conditions is two-fold: On the one hand, to deepen the understanding of the structural condition and, on the other hand, to discuss the conditions for different business model design options. The report examines the regulatory policies and market characteristics in MVoIP and multi-play as a basis for a discussion on how these policies and characteristics affect the business model decisions of service providers in the two areas. Using empirical material from Norway and Denmark, the report presents a comparative analysis of the structural conditions and the business model choices made by actors in the market. The basic theoretical framework for the analysis is the Structure-Conduct-Performance (SCP) framework. The strength of this framework is that it stretches all the way from the structural conditions, through the conduct (business models and strategies) of companies seen in connection with these structural conditions, to the actual performance of companies in the market. The focus of the present report is on the structural conditions with a view to the framework that these conditions constitute for the business model design of companies. The empirical basis of the report consists primarily of interviews with representatives from IT and telecom industry organizations, policy makers and regulators in the telecom area in Norway and Denmark

A common European Spectrum policy

This briefing note considers the European Commission\u2019s proposals for a common European spectrum policy through reviewing adopted legislation as well as recent communications and other initiatives. The report was produced against the background of the review of the regulatory framework for electronic communications and the recent World Radiocommunication Conference

An Overview and Examination of the Indian Services Sector

India’s service sector has grown rapidly since the 1990s. Domestic demand for services has increased as incomes have risen, triggering the expansion of industries such as banking, education, and telecommunications. Exports have also increased rapidly, led by information technology and business process outsourcing (IT-BPO). India’s ability to offer low-cost, high-quality IT-BPO services has made it a world leader in this industry. However, employment in services has not grown as quickly as output. The majority of India’s jobseekers are low-skilled, but demand for workers is growing fastest in higher-skill industries. The supply of highly-skilled workers has not kept pace with demand, causing wages to increase faster for these workers than for lower-skilled ones. India’s government has supported the growth of service industries through a mix of deregulation, liberalization, and incentive programs, such as the Software Technology Parks of India. Nevertheless, burdensome regulations, poor infrastructure, and foreign investment restrictions continue to affect service firms’ ability to do business. USITC analysis suggests that additional liberalization would lead to an increase in India’s imports of services