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Call for Papers

Telecommunication markets are continuing to grow at a rapid pace. However, this growth is associated with important challenges for company managers, policy makers, regulators and researchers alike. The 18th European Regional ITS Conference will focus on the most pressing developments and stimulate discussions on how to enhance policy making, research approaches, laws and regulation in order to improve market performance and consumer welfare.

ITS would like to invite you to submit an abstract for a paper to be presented at the 18th European Regional ITS Conference. The following topics might be of interest (among others):

1 The Regulatory Framework: A Critical Perspective on its Revision

Reduction of regulatory bureaucracy
Harmonisation across Europe
Promotion of infrastructure competition
Efficient use of the spectrum
Contribution of telecommunication services to investment and growth in Europe
Need for new institutions

•  The future of infrastructure competition

Regulatory challenges posed by the movement towards IP based networks
Vertical separation and consolidation
Incentives for firms (telcos, mobile and cable operators)
Impacts on competition (in wholesale and retail markets)
Impacts on investment (infrastructure, services)
Current vs. next generation network configurations: A new era for network competition?

3 Broadband: the demand side

Determinants of demand for broadband connections
The discrepancy between availability and connections
Broadband usage: impact on innovation intensity / on employment /working conditions

4 Internet and regulation

Content and media regulation in the Internet
Lessons from pioneer countries and historical parallels
Web 2.0 challenges
New regulatory institutions?
The role of Google and its competitors in an all-IP world

5 Internationalisation of markets

Patterns of internationalisation and consolidation: How far will it go?
Internationalisation as a strategy of corporate growth
Effects of internationalisation on domestic competition
Regulation and internationalisation

6 Mobile trends

Mobile /fixed convergence of services
Flat rate offers: a sure way to revenue erosion?
Location-based services
Mobile broadband
Mobile and the last mile (WIMAX etc): relevance and impact on competition
4G networks
Spectrum allocation policy
Mobile interconnection

7 Country studies: What should late liberalizers learn from the mature liberalization experiments?

Service vs. facility based competition
Cost orientation - Approaches to margin squeeze
Unbundled access: The main lessons
The development of markets in the New Member States

Special Session: The Turkish market for telecommunications

Market configuration and trends: Entry and competition
The regulatory framework
Market analyses
Welfare effects of taxation
Value added services over broadband connections and market forecasts

8 Other important trends and possible topics

VoIP: virtual or facilities-based operators
Media: A substitute for declining voice telephony markets?
What is the right level of competition for network based markets with economies of scale?
How does ‘shadow regulation' affect the behaviour of market players?
Technological neutrality

This list of topics shall stimulate contributions. Other suggestions are welcome.

Please send an extended abstract to:

itseurope@diw.de and to brigitte.preissl@telekom.de

no later than 31 March 2007. Abstracts should be about 2 pages long (800 to 1000 words) and contain the following information:

•  a research question
•  some remarks on methodology
•  expected results
•  bibliographical notes

For the organising committee:

ITS Office Europe @ DIW Berlin - Mohrenstrasse 58 - D-10117 Berlin
Tel. +49 228 181 99510 - itseurope@diw.de