Price Control and Other Regulatory Issues

Germany’s complete overhaul of the telecommunications legislation seeks to ensure easy access to the German market and a level playing field for all, based on regulation that is independent and quick to intervene against any abuse of market power, in other words to ensure a sound and predictable investment climate. Our regulation aims to promote competition in the telecommunications sector and to encourage technological and organizational progress at the same time. This policy stands to benefit all: customers, Deutsche Telekom AG, new entrants, the workforce, Germany as a place to do business, and the prospects of the German economy generally. The World Trade Organization estimates that a quarter of all economic activity in the industrial countries will be accounted for in the future by electronic commerce. Germany is preparing itself for these global challenges and has already made a promising start

Information Society Strategies in the European Context: The Case of Greece

This article sets out to analyze the policies adopted by the Greek government in its effort to accelerate the pace of reform towards a knowledge-based economy. These policies have to take into account the position that the country occupies within the emerging information society and, of course, the opportunities created by EU initiatives that aim to promote economic competitiveness and reduce regional disparities. Within this framework Greek policy makers have recognized the need for a coordinated, coherent and integrated approach, which attempts to diminish inequalities both within the country and with respect to other European Union economies. What emerges as a distinctive feature of the Greek information society strategy is the emphasis placed on the pivotal role of the state and the adoption of active interventionist policies

Significant Market Power in Telecommunications: Theoretical and Practical Aspects

From an economic perspective efficiency and innovation are crucial aspects of functional competition in telecommunications where one has to take into account sector specific problems. Besides those specific aspects we consider the topic of significant market power and its evolution. As a special problem we focus on product bundling issues and aspects of network dynamics. As regards policy conclusions there is need for differentiated approaches. We emphasize the need for a dynamic perspective of competition in telecommunications markets. With respect to oligopolistic markets we present as a theoretically new approach an application of the Hitch-Sweezy model of competition - the implication is that (price)regulation should be restricted to a very small field.Telecommunications, market power, network economies