Market Influencers Expertise

Given the vital role that communications and the freedom of information play in a modern society, the communications, technology, and digital media industries have long been significantly regulated at the national, regional/state, and local levels. These rules and regulations have resulted from a complex interplay among and between political entities, regulators, industry and trade associations, consumer advocacy groups, and businesses.

Today, regulators are struggling to adapt and update regulatory frameworks to the rapidly evolving technical and market landscape. In doing so they must balance the needs and rights of consumers, service providers, over-the-top application providers, businesses and community anchor institutions.

In this complex space we have supported various groups in helping to shape regulation and react to its implications. We have worked extensively for government regulatory agencies, industry representatives, associations and trade groups, service providers, non-profit foundations, and anchor institutions.

Key regulatory issues being debated today include:

• What are the current and emerging national broadband policy and objectives under debate in various countries and markets?
• What lessons can be taken from different countries regulatory experiences? Aspects to emulate? Consequences to avoid?
•  What are the implications of rapidly expanding technical capabilities of networks beyond their traditional focus to offering multiple services and products?
• How does the convergence of voice and data and mobile and wireline impact network access and associated long-run costs
• How to balance and reconcile divisive issues such as network neutrality, quality of service, and broadband pricing?
• What are the evolving treatments for call termination, data interconnection and peering among regulated operators?
• How to structure and respond to governmental stimulus initiatives?
• What are appropriate strategies, rules, and processes to manage spectrum availability and auctions (including bidding strategies)?

Recent Client Successes

We have worked with regulators across the world, traditional and new operators, and numerous foundations and industry associations to provide counsel on the pressing regulatory issues of the day. A brief overview of recent engagements:

• For the UK National Regulatory Authority, we analysed economics of sub-loop unbundling to assist with determination of the feasibility of infrastructure-based competitive supply emerging in FTTC networks.
• For a Fortune-50 telecom company and a major fiber optic cable provider, developed white paper assessing the impact of local franchise requirements on fiber to the home deployment.
• For the Telecoms Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), we assessed the case for changes to the structure and level of fixed and mobile termination rates in India. Developed a forward looking LRIC model based on a hypothetical efficient operator in the Indian market. The modeling built costs for major urban, sub-urban and rural catchments. Conducted an assessment of alternative regulatory regimes including CPP, MPP and Bill & Keep.
• For a Pan European Mobile and Fixed Operator, we analysed and developed LRIC models for determination of mobile interconnect rates in multiple European countries including Sweden, Norway, Lithuania, Netherlands and Germany. Work included a quantitative assessment of long run costs, validation of forecasts for voice, data and messaging traffic, evaluation of various forms of LRIC costing (LRAIC+++, LRAIC+ and pure LRIC) and development of published responses to regulatory consultations.
• For an EU regulator, analyzed economics of next generation access technologies to assist with determination of the feasibility of infrastructure-based competitive supply emerging in fiber networks.
• For a US telecommunications industry trade association, assessed the economic impact of increased broadband regulation on both operators and the industry. We created business cases and then calculated the increased costs and decreased revenue associated with varying levels of regulation and their impact on NPV and overall investment viability.
• For a major international foundation, we developed a US federal broadband stimulus application for a state library agency that wished to deploy enhanced Internet access and computing capabilities to its public libraries. In doing so, we designed an application strategy that optimized the agency’s probability of winning the grant while delivering a substantial increase in computer center capability. We conducted extensive primary research through developed surveys, service provider RFIs, and expert interviews to determine current computer center capability, future user demand, and broadband service availability.