Since the 1980s, the telecommunications industry has grown remarkably thanks to technological advancement, demand growth, deregulation and liberalization. The structure of the industry has become more and more competitive and the conduct of its constituents has become unprecedentedly diverse and complex, creating numerous regulatory problems. The phenomenon has been accelerated by the recent trend in which the computer, broadcasting, entertainment and the Internet are converging. Now is the time for a shift toward new policy paradigm.
This course aims to examine the structure and operation of the telecommunications industry utilizing the tools developed in the area of microeconomic and industrial organization theories. It further studies various economic principles to achieve economic efficiency through competitive system as an alternative to natural monopoly.