Colloquium No. 6 - Regulatory Implicatio

This Briefing Report of the Sixth Colloquium assesses the challenges and opportunities confronting regulators that arise from the rapid convergence of telecommunications technologies and markets. Spurred by dramatic technical developments, such as high-speed digital telephony, cable television, wireless technologies, and the Internet, the lines between traditional common carrier telephone ("conduit") services and broadcast-based information and entertainment ("content") services are becoming increasingly blurred. These trends are compelling regulators to re-examine many of the fundamental policies and institutional structures whose goals are to guide telecommunications industry evolution for the benefit of society. The Regulatory Colloquium itself and the preparation of the Briefing Report were funded by the World Bank and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. The principal author is Mr. David Townsend. The views expressed are those of the author alone.