Making Universal Service Policy: Enhancing the Process Through Multidisciplinary Evaluation (LEA Telecommunications Series) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 080582457X ISBN 13: 9780805824575

Publisher: Routledge, 1999

Synopsis

This book is the outgrowth of shared interests between the editors and the contributing authors to provide a multidisciplinary perspective in evaluating universal service policy and recommending policy changes to accommodate a more competitive telecommunications environment. The book is interdisciplinary in nature to reflect the extremely complex context in which universal service policy is formed. The chapter authors represent a broad cross-section of disciplinary training, professional positions, and relationships in the telecommunications industry. Academic disciplines represented include law, economics, anthropology, communication, and business.

This book's purpose is to significantly enhance the development of effective telecommunications universal service policy among policymakers, industry members, and stakeholders in the United States. Universal service policy has been, and will continue to be, both enabled and constrained by the simultaneous interaction of social, political, technological, and economic forces in the environment in which it is formed. A more effective process for policy design is to seek agreement on how entitlements embedded in universal service policy should be modified as circumstances invariably change over time. Therefore, the volume reflects recent significant developments in U.S. universal service policy--the implementation of which continues to unfold.

About this title

Synopsis

This book is the outgrowth of shared interests between the editors and the contributing authors to provide a multidisciplinary perspective in evaluating universal service policy and recommending policy changes to accommodate a more competitive telecommunications environment. In the quest to formulate a multidisciplinary approach, the editors first agreed to organize a conference, soliciting the input and participation of individuals from disparate academic disciplines; local, state and federal government bodies; and industry members. The conference was held in December, 1996 and beared the same name as this volume's title. Most of the chapters are based on papers that were presented at this conference. However, during the editing process of this book, significant changes continued to be made in the policy arena - not the least of which was the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and ensuing recommendations by the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service in November, 1996. The editors ultimately determined to await the FCC's implementation order on universal service, which was issued in May, 1997.

As a result of both the Joint Board recommendations and the subsequent FCC order, they decided that the volume required modifications. Some chapters were revised to reflect the recent developments, and new authors were sought out to contribute additional chapters in order to provide a more balanced collection of views. Therefore, the resulting volume reflects recent significant developments in US universal service policy - the implementation of which continues to unfold.

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 080582457X
• ISBN 13: 9780805824575
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 278
• Editor: Cherry Barbara A.