Publication: Liberalizing Basic Telecommunications : The Asian Experience
Date
2001-11
ISSN
Published
2001-11
Author(s)
Fink, Carsten
Mattoo, Aaditya
Rathindran, Randeep
Abstract
The authors examine the liberalization
of the basic telecommunications sector in Asian countries
with a view to identifying good policy and determining how
multilateral negotiations can promote it. They find that
most Asian governments, despite the move away from
traditional public monopolies, are still unwilling to allow
unrestricted entry, eliminate limits on private and foreign
ownership, and establish strong, independent regulators. But
where comprehensive reform has been undertaken-including
privatization, competition, and regulation-the availability
of main lines, the quality of service, and the productivity
of labor are significantly higher. Somewhat surprisingly,
little unilateral liberalization has occurred since the last
round of telecommunications negotiations under the General
Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The new round
therefore faces the challenge of not merely harvesting
unilateral liberalization, as in the past, but of
negotiating away existing restrictions. Since quantitative
restrictions on the number of telecommunications service
suppliers are pervasive, deepened GATS rules could help
ensure transparent and nondiscriminatory allocation of
licenses. There may also be a need to sharpen the regulatory
principles established in the last round and to create rules
that safeguard not only the rights of foreign suppliers but
also those of consumers.
Citation
“Fink, Carsten; Mattoo, Aaditya; Rathindran, Randeep. 2001. Liberalizing Basic Telecommunications : The Asian Experience. Policy Research Working Paper;No. 2718. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/19442 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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