Regulation

Communication companies worldwide are heavily regulated, but big changes are underway. In 2003, the European Union reduced the regulatory burden in some areas but increased regulatory uncertainty in others, including mobile services. In Asia Pacific markets, new technologies and rapid adoption of broadband are necessitating technology-neutral regulation. US telecom reformers want to review everything from intercarrier compensation and UNE rules to VoIP and broadband regulation. So what’s at stake?

The new EU framework brings with it the burden of ex-ante regulation and requires an EU-wide competitive analysis, complete with regulatory remedies for 18 markets, mobile call termination price caps, and new directives for roaming charges. Asia Pacific telcos struggle with interconnection pricing strategies and disputes, pricing restrictions, SLAs and the complexities of evolving performance metrics and regulatory frameworks. US players want a thorough understanding of the rules of the road before investing in innovative VoIP strategies and other IP-based services, or venturing into new markets like fiber to the curb, home or node.

How PricewaterhouseCoopers can help

New regulations raise questions of costs and consequences. PricewaterhouseCoopers offers a range of services designed to help telcos develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory strategy, including scenario planning, policy definition, strategic communications, and a well-organised regulatory function with the processes and procedures needed to achieve objectives. Additionally, we offer integrated regulatory and internal costing systems, performance measures, and litigation support for a wide range of regulatory investigations.