Market Evolution and Regulation in the Italian Telecommunications Industry

Main Article Content

Carlo Cambini
Golnoush Soroush

Keywords

access regulation, market evolution, regulatory institutions, next generation networks.

Abstract

In this paper we analyse the evolution of the Italian telecommunications market since the beginning of the liberalisation and privatisation process in Italy started in the mid-nineties.  The role of competition and regulatory authorities is also considered. We present a survey of the main regulatory interventions in the industry as well as the market structure and its dynamics in the period 2000-2015. We also provide some insights on the current state of the ultra-fast broadband access and the evolution of the so called “next generation networks”. In this regard, the recent Italian government’s plan regarding the deployment of the broadband services is also discussed. Our research can provide helpful information on telecommunications trends in Italy and would help to assess past as well as ongoing policies.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
Abstract 588 | PDF Downloads 17

References

ACCC/AER. 2013. ‘Better economic regulation of infrastructure: country based review’. Working Paper Series n.8, August 2013. Melbourne: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni (AGCOM). 2000-2016. ‘The Communications Authority Annual Report’. Annual reports on the activity carried out and on the work programmes. Naples. Available from: https://www.agcom.it/relazioni-annuali

Bourreau, M.; Cambini, C.; Dogan, P. 2012. ‘Access Pricing, Competition, and Incentives to Migrate From “Old” to “New” Technology’. International Journal of Industrial Organization 30, 713-723.

Bourreau, M; Cambini, C; Dogan, P. 2014. ‘Access Regulation and the Transition from Copper to Fiber Networks in Telecoms’. Journal of Regulatory Economics 45(3), 233- 258.

Bourreau, M; Cambini, C; Hoerng, S. 2015. ‘Geographical Access Markets and Investments’. Information Economics and Policy 31, 13-21.

Bregni, S; Melen, R. 2002. ‘Local loop unbundling in the Italian network’. IEEE Communications Magazine, Volume 40, Issue 10, October 2002, pp 86-93.

Buigues, P.A. 2001. 'European policy on local loop unbundling competition law background and problems of implementation'. EURO CPR Conference 2001. October; Venice, Italy. Available from: http://ec.europa.eu/competition/speeches/index_theme_3.html .

Cambini, C; Polo, M; Sassano, A. 2016. ‘Fiber to the people: The development of the ultra-broadband network in Italy’. Journal of Economic Policy, 32(2), 179-209.

Cambini, Carlo; Ravazzi, Piercarlo; Valletti, Tommaso. 2003. Il mercato delle telecomunicazioni: Dal monopolio alla liberalizzazione negli Stati Uniti e nella UE. Bologna, Italy: il Mulino.

European Commission Digital Single Market: Digital Scoreboard. 2016. ‘Europe's Digital Progress Report (EDPR): Italy’. A report complementing the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) country profile. Brussels, 2016. Available from: https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/scoreboard/italy

European Commission Press Release. 2010a. ‘Digital Agenda for Europe: key initiatives’. Brussels, 19 May 2010. Available from: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-10-200_en.htm

European Commission Press Release. 2010b. ‘Digital Agenda: Commission endorses general model of Italian regulator to calculate wholesale access prices; asks it to recalculate maintenance and commercial costs’. Brussels, 21 October 2010. Available from: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-10-1361_en.htm?locale=en

OECD. 2001. ‘Regulatory Reform in Italy: Regulatory Reform in the Telecommunications Industry’. Paris: OECD. Available at: http://www.oecd.org/regreform/2717568.pdf

TNS Opinion & Social. 2013. ‘E-Communications Household Survey’. Survey conducted for the European Commission, field work February-March 2013. Special Eurobarometer 396. Published in November 2013. Available from: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_396_en.pdf

The World Trade Organization. ‘Telecommunications services: Current commitments and exemptions’. Accessed 24 September 2016. Available from: https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/serv_e/telecom_e/telecom_e.htm