Universal Access in Developing Countries: A Particular Focus on Bangladesh
The concept of universal access, which originated in the United States, is now part of the telecommunications policy frameworks of many developing countries. This article uses the case of Bangladesh as a vehicle for examining the transferability of the universal service concept to developing countries. The analysis suggests that liberalization and privatization of the telecommunications sector policies pushed by the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank, and other international agencies, will not by themselves create universal access in countries with rudimentary urban-centric networks. The policymakers need to incorporate build-out obligations when licensing operators and also develop cross-subsidy mechanisms even though they are now out of fashion in the industrialized world.
A. J. M. Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan
Pages 269-278 | Received 01 Aug 2002, Accepted 01 Feb 2004, Published online: 12 Aug 2010
Notes
- In this article, the terms “universal access” and “universal service” are used interchangeably even though there is a subtle difference between the two. “Universal service” is rooted in the telephone industry and has historically been limited to voice communications. In the post-(Modified Final Judgement) MFJ era the scope of universal service has been gradually broadening in many places to include E911, services for the hearing impaired, and other services. The conception, however, remains voice-centric, as the term “expanded universal service” itself reveals. “Universal access,” on the other hand, starts with a much broader conception of what needs to be universalized. While traditional telephone services retain central importance in the “universal access” concept, the perspective is wider as it also seeks to use policy instruments to universalize access to a broader range of services, for example, the Internet, offered over a wider range of delivery systems, for example, public libraries and community technology centres.
- The actual increase by 2000 was to 504,000 mainlines.
- Members came up with their individual list of commitments through successive rounds of negotiations.
- The connection fee is the same for both residential users and business users.
- Milne identified five stages of network development and noted their accompanying universal service goals and policies. See Milne (1998) for details.