The digital divide and the competitive behaviour of Internet backbone providers: Part 1 – issues and arguments

Abstract

Against the background of international telecommunications liberalization and declining settlement payments for many developing countries, charging arrangements for Internet interconnection services have become a controversial issue. This article presents the essence of the complaints and counter‐arguments regarding whether current charging arrangements for Internet interconnection are inequitable and subject to anti‐competitive behaviour on the part of Internet backbone providers. A second paper, to be published in the next issue of info, reviews proposals for action to date and makes a number of recommendations as to how to move the debate usefully forward, including a number of positive measures that developing countries can take.