Rural telecommunications: devising a contemporary policy framework

摘要

Structural reforms introduced in the telecommunications sector in develpoing countries including privatization or competition and the advent of new services and access technologies ralse some questions for the future of rural telecommunications. This report describes the economic implications and viability criteria leading to the adoption of unrestricted expansion policies, and the right of the tural population to get access to the same services provided to urban areas at equitable costs. Based on such criteria, a technical recommendation was recently submitted to the regulatory body of Argentina (CNC) during a series of public audiences held nationwide. The proposal aims to assist the process of planning and implementation of a contemporary long-run rural policy framework.