Guided competition in Singapore's telecommunications industry

Abstract

This paper focuses on the role of competition, defined broadly to encompass both firm-level and internat ion competition, in the development of telecommunications infrastructure. The context of the paper is Singapore's telecommunications industry. This paper attributes some of the development of Singapore's telecommunications services and infrastructure to actual and potential competition at the market and internation levels. It argues that it is possible to introduce some competitive pressures into a market with few competitors, to ensure close-to-competitive-market outcomes. It also demonstrates the impact of internation competition on within-country telecommunications policies and infrastructure. Finally, the paper discusses how another dimension of internation competition - the transmission of cultural and social values and practices - impacts telecommunications policies.