REGULATION MISUNDERSTANDING: CONVERGENCE COMPLEXITY PROVIDING FAILURES IN TELECOMMUNICATION SERVICES COSTS

ABSTRACT This manuscript discusses a theoretical competitive scenario for telecommunications services, in particular voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), and finds that the economic benefits of the current technological convergence are based on three main factors: technological advances and updates; regulation failures related to technological complexity; and consumer inability to exploit the benefits of convergence. This study begins by giving the background to voice communication in the telecommunications sector and the misunderstanding of the competitive boundaries between technologies, service providers, and usage applications generated in an unregulated sector. Second, the kinds of regulation that organizes the development and pricing of integrated or bundled services are briefly discussed and presented. Third, theoretical analysis of the competitive environment is interpreted in terms of the three factors: technological advances, regulation failure, and consumer knowledge of convergence. Results derived from these factors are presented in the context of VoIP services. Finally, the work concludes by outlining the implications for regulatory reform and the impact on competitive behavior, and describes possibilities for the future management of the technology sector.

摘要 本论文探讨了电信服务，尤其是互联网协议语音（Voice over Internet Protocol，VoIP）领域的理论竞争场景，研究发现当前技术融合的经济收益基于三大核心因素：技术迭代升级、与技术复杂性相关的监管失灵，以及消费者无法充分利用技术融合带来的收益。本研究首先梳理了电信行业语音通信的发展背景，以及无监管环境下技术、服务提供商与各类使用应用之间竞争边界的认知误区。其次，本文简要探讨并阐述了规范整合型或捆绑型服务的开发与定价的各类监管模式。第三，本文围绕技术迭代、监管失灵与消费者融合认知水平三大因素，对竞争环境展开理论分析，并结合VoIP服务场景呈现相关研究结果。最后，本文在结语部分梳理了监管改革的相关启示及其对竞争行为的影响，并探讨了电信技术领域未来治理的潜在方向。