Toward Sustainable Competition in Global Telecommunications: From Principle to Practice

In 1997, members of the World Trade Organization embraced an agreement to liberalize basic international telecommunications services within a competitive trade framework. Shortly after the WTO agreement entered into force, the Aspen Institute convened the third annual Aspen Institute Roundtable on International Telecommunications (AIRIT). The main objective of the meeting was to identify appropriate institutions and forums to implement the new framework and to smooth the transition from the old monopoly order to a truly competitive environment. Three main themes were discussed: the implementation of the WTO agreement on telecommunications, the restructuring of global traffic, and the governance of global electronic commerce. This report details the conclusions and recommendations of the international telecommunications, trade, and policy leaders who participated in the AIRIT roundtable discussions. Contributors include Donald Abelson (Office of the U.S. Trade Representative), Jeremy Beale (OECD), Carlos Braga (World Bank), Ron Cross (Nortel Networks), James E. Graf II (British Telecommunications North America), Larry Lafaro (AT& T), Stephen Liddell (WorldCom International, Hong Kong), Neil McMillan (Department of Trade and Industry, UK), Michael Niebel (European Commission, Belgium), Jean-Paul Simon (France Telecom), Hiroyuki Tanaka (Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, Japan), Lee Tuthill (World Trade Organization, Switzerland).