Phone Cards Digest

LDC DILEMMA
• Political constraints in more developed areas of “bypassing” the incumbent with VoIP and thus regulatory or even criminal restraints of development. Control/loss of intl traffic.
• Tension between graduation of urban areas and commerce to next higher level of global market access and deploying basic access to rural areas—the universal access challenge

REGULATORY CHALLENGE
• Getting the courage to regulate creatively and around the traditional formats
• Encouraging private-municipality partnerships
• Exempting certain regions out of restrictive regulation
• Balancing true consumer needs with investment realities

REGULATORY CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY

Consider opening telecoms market to VoIP to licensed competitors at least in urban environments and require them to contribute to universal service fund. Good concept with political, technical and economic issues.
- Balancing of interests to access charge regulation, should broadband be outside the regulatory realm?
- Regulatory creativity: partnerships between private enterprise and municipalities; “regions with disability” regulation, etc.
- Provision of Emergency Services: 911 and E911

Source: Greenberg Trauring