New Method to Calculate Cost of Capital for Telecommunication Market

Abstract

Cost of capital is one of the key factors of accounting regulation policy for telecommunication market. This paper aims at investigating efficient policy improvements concerning accounting regulation for telecommunication market focused on cost of capital calculation methods and its application. At First, cost of capital estimating method should be improved. In estimating the cost of equity capital, it is necessary to use benchmark method for Equity risk premium. It will reduce analytical errors caused by a rapid economic change and inflation. It is also more desirable to use debt premium adding method for the cost of debt capital. Optimal capital structure method may be considered a better way to estimates capital structure. Secondly, cost of capital estimating process also has to be reformed. Telecommunication industry changes rapidly so it does not reflect fast environmental changes. Therefore, cost of capital should be calculated every year. Cost of capital should be calculated by individual companies. There is information asymmetry between regulators and regulatees. Because of that cost of capital calculating process takes long time and cost a lot. To solve this problem, regulator should legislate on cost of capital calculation and then regulating companies report the calculating result. Lastly, major telecommunication companies are all listed now and it is possible to calculating it separately. We must continuously improve the estimating method and application of cost of capital and due to the fast growing of telecommunication industry. The process of determining the calculating method must be discussed and best method chosen.