Options to Increase Access to Telecommunications Services in Rural and Low-Income Areas

by Arturo Muente-Kunigami, Juan Navas-Sabater

Overview

Telecommunications sector policy-makers and regulators have a wide range of instruments available to them that can be used to increase access to telecommunications services in rural and low-income areas. The paper provides a review of these instruments, evaluating them against a set of criteria. It then goes on to identify a number of them that are worthy of further consideration by policy-makers and regulators while demonstrating that the effectiveness of the identified instruments can be greatly enhanced by the establishment of a conducive legal, regulatory and institutional framework. The paper concludes by confirming that while no single instrument taken in isolation can provide a full solution to universal access, a mix of the measures identified can be devised to achieve specific policy objectives in a particular country environment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780821381403
Publisher:	World Bank Publications
Publication date:	03/12/2010
Series:	World Bank Working Papers , #178
Pages:	72
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.20(d)

Table of Contents

Abstract v

Acknowledgments vi

Foreword vii

Acronyms and Abbreviations viii

1 Introduction 1

2 First Things First: Allow Markets to Work Well 3

3 An Ever-Changing Industry: Changes and Trends in Rural Telecommunications since the Early 1990s 6

Wireless Networks Are Rapidly Expanding in Rural Areas 6

“Universal Coverage” Objectives Are Emerging as Options to Be Considered 7

Transition from Traditional Voice to Broadband and VoIP 9

Backbone Infrastructure as a Critical Requirement to Deliver Broadband in Rural Areas 9

4 Rationale for Universal Access Policy Instruments 11

Challenges for Universal Access 11

Universal Access Policy Instruments 11

Financial Support Mechanisms 13

5 Assessing the Suitability of the Instruments 14

Assessment of Policy Instruments 14

Assessment of Financial Support Mechanisms 30

Recommended Policy Instruments and Financial Support Mechanisms 33

6 Implementation Arrangements 36

Reverse Auctions 36

Bottom-up Projects 37

Institutional Demand Stimulation 37

Fund Administration 38

7 Conclusion 40

Appendix. The “Gaps” Model 42

References 44