Development Of Telecommunications Infrastructure Research Articles

Networks in Cities, Cities in Networks: Territory and Globalisation Intertwined in Telecommunications Infrastructure Development in Europe

There appears to be substantial convergence in the type and extent of telecommunications networks being deployed between and in major European cities to serve increasing numbers of corporate clients, thus forming one of the principal material elements in the development of a world city network. Through a broad theoretical discussion and an empirical exploration of the interurban and intraurban network development of one of the major telecommunications providers in Europe, however, it is shown how the planning, construction and expansion of these infrastructures remain crucially shaped by a variety of historical, regulatory, economic, physical and organisational constraints and compulsions which are specific to individual cities. It is argued that the mutually constitutive nature of economic and technological connectivities suggests, therefore, that the development of a world city network continues to have an important dimension of territorial fixity, reflecting the multiscalar entanglement of territory and globalisation that forms the world cities of today.

Global measures of development and the information society

PurposeTo examine the effects of telecommunications on national development, broadly measured in the areas of economic, social, and political change, and cultural development.Design/methodology/approachThe results of a structural equation model are reported, designed to examine the bi‐directional relationship between telecommunications infrastructure and national development for countries worldwide. The economic, social, and political development, and cultural changes that result from telecommunications infrastructure are investigated.FindingsTelecommunications infrastructure effects extend beyond economic impacts to include social, political, and cultural change.Research limitations/implicationsCriteria used to measure development and change, particularly those that examine the effects of telecommunications on culture, are inadequate and do not adequately measure the effects of telecommunications on national development.Practical implicationsAlternative methods of assessment or measure are needed to examine more critically the effects of telecommunications within the context of national development.Originality/valueThis paper argues for the necessity of deeper investigation into the influence of technology on society, particularly in the area of cultural change.

Global Diffusion of the Internet VI: The Internet in Togo

The Global Diffusion of the Internet (GDI) framework is used to examine Internet diffusion in Togo along six dimensions: Pervasiveness, Geographical Dispersion, Sectoral Absorption, Connectivity Infrastructure, Organizational Infrastructure, and Sophistication of Use. The Internet in Togo originated in the private sector in 1996. In the years that followed, the Togolese Internet grew at a slower rate than the Internet in many other countries over the same period of time. After examining how each dimension evolved, this study concludes, amongst many suggestions, that the Togolese government should encourage more telecommunication infrastructure development by allowing private companies to utilize Togo Telecom’s network.

Telecommunications Infrastructure and Regional Economic Development: The Case of Poland

Cieślik A. and Kaniewska M. (2004) Telecommunications infrastructure and regional economic development: the case of Poland, Regional Studies38, 713-725. We develop a theoretical model that establishes a link between telecommunications infrastructure and the regional level of income. This relationship is subsequently tested using Polish regional panel data for the 1990s. The empirical results confirm that there exists a positive and statistically significant causal relationship between telecommunications infrastructure and income at the regional level. With causality running from telecommunications to income, telecommunications policy should be viewed as an important part of regional policy aimed at reducing spatial income disparities in Poland. We can expect that EU enlargement and the harmonization of Polish telecommunication law with EU regulations should contribute to more even regional development in Poland. Cieślik A. et Kaniewska M. (2004) Infrastructure des télécommunications et le développement économique régional: étude de cas de la Pologne, Regional Studies38, 713-725. Cet article cherche à développer un modèle théoretique qui établit un lien entre l'infrastructure des télécommunications et le niveau des revenus régionaux. Par la suite, on teste ce rapport employant des données régionales polonaises par échantillon permanent pour les années 1990. Les résultats empiriques confirment l'existence d'une corrélation étroite et statistiquement importante entre l'infrastructure des télécommunications et le revenu régional. Etant donné que la causalité va des télécommunications au revenu, une politique en faveur des télécommunications devrait être considérée comme partie intégrante d'une politique régionale destinée à réduire les écarts des revenus régionaux en Pologne. L'élargissement de l'Ue et l'harmonisation de la loi polonaise sur les télécommunications, conjointement avec la réglementation de l'Ue, devraient contribuer à un rééquilibrage du développement économique régional en Pologne. Cieślik A. und Kaniewska M. (2004) Telekommunikationsinfrastruktur und regionalwirtschaftliche Entwicklung: der Fall Polen, Regional Studies38, 713-725. Die Entwicklung eines theoretischen Modells dient dazu, eine Verbindung zwischen Telekommunikationsinfrastruktur und regionaler Einkommenshöhe herzustellen. Diese Beziehung wird anschließend mit Hilfe polnischer Regionaldatenlisten für die neunziger Jahre geprüft. Die empirschen Daten bestätigen, daß eine auf Regionalebene positive und statistisch signifikante Kausalbeziehung zwischen Telekommunikationsinfrastruktur und Einkommen besteht. Angesichts der von Telekommunkatione ausgehenden und sich auf Einkommen auswirkenden Kausalität liegt es nahe, die Kommunkationspolitik als wichtigen Bestandteil der Regionalpolitik anzusehen, doch Ziel es sein sollte, räumliche Einkommensunterschiede in Polen abzuschwächen. Es ist erwarten, daß die Erweiterung der EU und die Harmonisierung des polnischen Telekommunkationsgesetzes mit den Bestimmungen der EU zu einer gleichmäßigeren Regionalentwicklung in Polen beitragen wird. Cieślik A. y Kaniewska M. (2004) Infraestructura de telecomunicaciones y desarrollo económico regional: el caso de Polonia, Regional Studies38, 713-725. Desarrollamos un modelo teórico que establece un vínculo entre la infraestructura de telecomunicaciones y el nivel regional de renta. Esta relación se comprueba posteriormente utilizando el panel de datos regionales de Polonia para los años 90. Los resultados empíricos confirman que existe una relación causal positiva y estadísticamente significativa entre la infraestructura de telecomunicaciones y el nivel de renta regional. Con una causalidad que va en dirección de telecomunicaciones a renta, las políticas de telecomunicaciones se deberían ver como una parte importante de la política regional dirigida a reducir disparidades espaciales en el nivel de renta en Polonia. Podemos esperar que la ampliación de la Unión Europea y la armonización de la ley de telecomunicación Polaca con las regulaciones de la UE debe contribuír a un desarrollo regional en Polonia más equitativo.

High-Tech Growth and Telecommunications Infrastructure in Cities

Although core physical infrastructure, such as transportation, is associated with the economic vitality of regions, the relationship between telecommunications infrastructure and high-tech economic development is relatively unexplored at the local level. This assessment explores the linkage between local high-tech growth and the capacity of telecommunications infrastructure in cities located in four metropolitan areas. The empirical results are contrary to conventional thought, indicating that a city with greater high-tech growth is likely to have less telecommunications infrastructure capacity. Although the paucity of local data on telecommunications infrastructure and the complexity of such empirical analysis affect the findings, the research serves as a foundation for future analysis of local high-tech economies and telecommunications infrastructure.

The Internet in India and China

This article compares the diffusion of the Internet in China and India. Using a six-dimension framework for characterizing the state of the Internet in a nation, we observe that, while both nations have made significant progress since our last comparison (in 1999), China enjoys a substantial lead over India. We also examine determinants of Internet diffusion. We find that the Chinese Internet has benefited from economic and trade reform begun in the late 1980s, a strong government commitment to the Internet, complementary human and capital resources, etc. The two nations have very different governments and policies, leading to differing approaches to the introduction of telecommunication competition and infrastructure development. China has pursued a strategy of competition among government-owned organizations while India has set policy via recommendations of publicly visible task forces. It remains to be seen whether India's relatively transparent and market driven approach to Internet policy (and access) will prove effective in the long run. India and China have approximately 40 percent of the world population, and most of their inhabitants live in rural villages that lack basic telephone service. If the Internet is to succeed in raising the level of human development and curtailing migration to teeming urban centers, it must succeed in India and China. What we learn there may enable us to provide communication and information to the world's 1.5 million unconnected villages.

Telecommunications Infrastructure and Economic Development: A Simultaneous Approach

Telecommunications Infrastructure and Economic Development: A Simultaneous Approach

A Chronological Perspective of Telecommunications Infrastructure Development in India

A Chronological Perspective of Telecommunications Infrastructure Development in India

Convergence in telecommunications infrastructure development in OECD countries

We use a database of 22 member countries of OECD for the years 1980 to 1995 to explore the issue of convergence in the pattern of efficiency with which the telecommunications sector have been developed among OECD countries. Our approach uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) to explore the order of magnitude of performance differences between countries. We then test for σ-convergence using Friedman’s (1992) [Friedman, M., 1992. Do old fallacies ever die? Journal of Economic Literature 30, 2129–2132] suggestion that the coefficient of variance is a useful measure for this task. Thereafter, we use two rank tests – the Wilcoxon Matched-Pairs Signed Rank Test and Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance – to evaluate the presence of β-convergence or intra-distributional mobility. Our empirical investigation suggests that OECD countries have σ-converged and also, to some extent, β-converged in their development of telecommunication infrastructures. Our empirical exploration further indicates that OECD countries have distinctly σ-converged in efficiency with which they have provided the fixed and cellular telecommunications infrastructure. Our data do not support the presence of β-convergence, or leapfrogging, in the efficiency of telecommunications infrastructure provision among OECD countries.

Telecommunications Infrastructure and Economic Development: A Simultaneous Approach

In this paper we investigate how telecommunications infrastructure affects economic growth. We use evidence from 21 OECD countries over a 20-year period to examine the impacts that telecommunications developments may have had. We jointly estimate a micromodel for telecommunication investment with a macro production function. We find evidence of a significant positive causal link, especially when a critical mass of telecommunications infrastructure is present. Interestingly, the critical mass appears to be at a level of telecommunications infrastructure that is near universal service. (JEL O57, O47, L69)

Infrastructure development planning in SEA: an analysis of the national telecommunications planning practice in Thailand

The development of a telecommunications infrastructure is underway in both the developing and developed nations. The challenges of the development of a national telecommunications infrastructure for developing economies differ significantly from the developed economies. This study provides an analysis of the telecommunications infrastructure development process in Thailand. It does this by examining the Telecommunications Planning Practice (TPP) within the State Owned Enterprises (SOEs). A multiple case study design approach is used for exploring the underlying TPP strategies at play among the Thai telecommunications players. The theoretical contribution of this study can be seen from the analyses that have contributed towards the understanding of the TPP strategies among Thai telecommunications managers. This has also helped in establishing the theoretical justifications for the development of a formal national telecommunications development agenda in Thailand.

Fostering economic development through telecommunications in South East Asia: challenges facing the Thai telecommunications regulators

Advances in telecommunications offer benefits from its products and services. These are crucial for both the economic and social development of a nation. To date, most developing nations are struggling to establish a comprehensive National Telecommunications Planning Practice (NTPP) framework for exploiting the strategic benefits through the proper use of telecommunications. Does telecommunications infrastructure help foster economic development in Thailand? Existing literature on telecommunications provide an understanding that the economic development of a nation can be achieved through the development and proper use of telecommunications infrastructure. Why do Thailand and other countries fail to make optimal use of telecommunications to improve the economy? This study is based on the argument that telecommunications can only help the economic development, when there is a strategic fit between telecommunications planning practices and the environmental forces. The overall aim of this study is to provide an analysis of the perceived environmental complexities of Thai telecommunications and its impact on economic development. In particular, the study focuses on providing a rationale for the questions addressed: How are the environmental factors influencing Thailand's NTPP? What are the causes of these rather diverse and ambiguous outcomes and industry growth of Thai telecommunications? In this regard, it important to have an understanding of the relationships between a NTPP, Government regulation and technological changes for telecommunications. The findings highlight the need for a formal public policy and regulatory framework, which may guide Thailand in exploiting telecommunications for economic development. The lack of formal public policy and appropriate regulatory framework is seen as a major contributing factor to Thailand's current economic crisis.

The Geography behind the Internet Cloud - Peering, Transit and Access Issues

In 1999, the Internet development varies considerably by geographic region. The network of networks is the most transforming invention and is developing at a far greater speed than any other technology of the 20th century. The Internet affects the way people do business, learn, play and work and TCP/IP is the protocol which defines the Internet. The levels of change are very different : social and cultural changes through increased networking, re-location of companies and new forms of businesses and organisations, restructuring of supply and demand chains and new working methods as well as reshaping of processes in retail and wholesale business. These changes influence the spatial structure due to the kind and geographic spread of access and connectivity to networks beside the location pattern of the Internet industry itself. The growth potentials of the Internet are mainly influenced by the availability and performance of physical network infrastructure. Since Internet Service Providers (ISPs) partially use the public-switched network, access to backbone network resources via leased lines, local access via unbundled local loops, co-location and interconnection are important to the growth of the information society. The key drivers for the development of telecommunications infrastructure for access to the Internet and global connectivity are to ensure competition and appropriate regulation of dominance to maximise the roll-out to rural geographic areas, to new subscribers and to ensure a reasonable quality of service while at the same time encouraging carriers to compete for those markets. This paper provides insight behind the Internet cloud and the regulatory environment which has a significant impact on the development and connectivity of places and thus spatial structures within regions and countries. It considers the broad infrastructural issues, the structure of the market and the role played by tele¬ communications operators and discusses the market dynamics of access and Internet interconnection. In order to understand market dynamics of the Internet industry and the spatial implications, issues of traffic flows and communication structures, recent backbone market changes and interconnection on the backbone as well as local level regarding peering and transit systems need to be observed. Pricing of leased lines and Internet access pricing as well as special access products offered by Incumbents to ISPs to connect their customers are important elements which define the different developments of the Internet throughout geographic regions. Considering costs of connectivity and access, localisation of traffic nodes and geography of investments in new IP infrastructure, space and distance remain important for the evolution of the Internet

Guided Competition in Singapore's Telecommunications Industry

This paper focuses on the role of competition, defined broadly to encompass both firm-level and internation competition, in the development of telecommunications infrastructure. The context of the paper is Singapore's telecommunications industry. This paper attributes some of the development of Singapore's telecommunications services and infrastructure to actual and potential competition at the market and internation levels. It argues that it is possible to introduce some competitive pressures into a market with few competitors, to ensure close-to-competitive-market outcomes. It also demonstrates the impact of internation competition on within-country telecommunications policies and infrastructure. Finally, the paper discusses how another dimension of internation competition--the transmission of cultural and social values and practices--impacts telecommunications policies. Copyright 1998 by Oxford University Press.

Africa and the Global Information Infrastructure

The article proposes a model that could guide African telecommunications policymakers in planning for the development of telecommunications infrastructure. The key elements of the model are based on questions about the prospects, obstacles, preferences and policies relating to telecommunications in the emerging global information infrastructure. Acknowledging the preponderance of choices in terms of the services and service providers in the field of telecommunications, and the new attitude toward Africa as a potentially profitable telecommunications market, the article concludes that the future is bright for the continent.

Efficient Public Investment in Telecommunications Infrastructure

One key telecommunications issue being discussed in both state and national forums is the effect of regulatory programs on the development of telecommunications infrastructure and any potential beneficial impacts on the national economy. Some have advised government agencies to develop and implement industrial policy initiatives to achieve specific investment objectives. These issues are examined by analyzing the assumption that increases in telecommunications infrastructure should be implicitly funded by current telecommunications ratepayers with deliberately overstated government-regulated telephone rates. The paper emphasizes the economics literature concerning private provision of quasi-public goods and quantitative macroeconomic effects of taxing consumers.

Telecommunications in Lithuania

According to Lithuania's Master Plan, further development of the country's telecommunications infrastructure must be concentrated on modern digital technology, most of it produced in Western countries. The Master Plan is divided into three parts. First, it is a short term plan that covers the development of telecommunication systems with high priority, and covers the period through the end of 1997. Another goal stated in the Master Plan is to have 48 main lines per 100 inhabitants by the year 2005. In addition, the Ministry decided to issue one license for operating a national paging network in 1995. This network must cover most of Lithuania. The number of licenses for local paging networks will not be limited.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Development of a Mobile GIS

GIS in business is catching on. As it increases its office use and receives wide recognition of its potential, even field workers want to use it out of office. On the other hand, some companies have introduced mobile computing technique to their enterprise information system thanks to the development of mobile terminals and mobile telecommunication infrastructure. There are, however, several restrictions and difficulties to integrate these techniques into a mobile GIS, mostly due to the characteristics of GIS and the immaturity of mobile computing environment.This paper explains one solution to overcome these difficulties and develop a mobile mapping system already in practical use. The new method makes use of CD-ROM and mobile phone. Furthermore, this paper discusses how to expand and incorporate mobile GIS into enterprise information system with an example of location system utilizing GPS.

Telecommunications in Eastern Germany: A success story of East-West integration

The process of growing together in East and West Germany has not occurred as quickly as many initially believed. Telecommunications is an exception. Starting with a review of economic developments in the new federal states, this paper presents the political background of the telecommunication sector, the history of the merger of DBP Telekom and Deutsche Post and the development of telecommunications infrastructure. The paper gives an overview of telecommunications in the GDR, DBP Telekom's investment programme and the contribution of private competitors, and analyses the indirect effects of infrastructure development. The build-up of telecommunications infrastructure in the new federal states is in every respect an important contribution to economic development and to East-West integration.

The impact of US-Japan telecommunications trade upon Japanese Information Infrastructure development

This article analyzes the impact of US-Japan telecommunications trade upon the development of the Japanese Information Infrastructure. The current telecommunications trade conflict between the two countries does not pay attention to an essential aspect; technology standards, arguing only national, self-centered, and short-range perspectives on bilateral trade. This article will open up a global perspective regarding bilateral trade, telecommunications infrastructure development, and government/business relationship. Our conceptual framework and empirical evidence will serve as a basis for not only the underlying essence of the bilateral telecommunications trade dispute, but also for discussing the nature of government/business relationships in the global information technology era.