Competition, convergence and asymmetry in telecommunications regulation

This paper presents a summary of the theoretical debate on the advantages and disadvantages of asymmetric regulation. Recent positions on this debate can be broadly divided into two categories: (1) supporters of symmetric regulation; and (2) supporters of asymmetric regulation. The authors then analyse recent regulatory reform in France, Germany, the UK and US (with references to European Union policy) in terms of whether local policies on entry (licensing, cross-sector entry) and operation in a market (interconnection and access, unbundling and number portability) are more or less asymmetric. The analysis has brought to light a number of macrotrends that may be useful in determining policy guidelines.