Incumbent carrier initiatives to eliminate the PSTN and their carrier of last resort responsibilities may constitute on of the key evolving policy initiatives going forward. Here are some research questions worthy of investigation:
If consumers must migrate from POTS to a NGN (IP-centric) replacement, what are the net consequences in terms of consumers’ out of pocket costs, as well as network QOS, availability, reliability and scalability?
Can wireless networks accommodate the complete off loading of wireline traffic? Would this offloading exacerbate spectrum scarcity?
If incumbents continue to rely on wireline plant, e.g., U-verse, do they gain deregulation without conferring much upside consumer benefits? For example most carriers offer unmetered (All You Can Eat") wireline service at about $20 a month, but metered wireless service costs 2 or 3 times as much.
If consumers must migrate from POTS to a NGN (IP-centric) replacement, what are the net consequences in terms of consumers’ out of pocket costs, as well as network QOS, availability, reliability and scalability?
Can wireless networks accommodate the complete off loading of wireline traffic? Would this offloading exacerbate spectrum scarcity?
If incumbents continue to rely on wireline plant, e.g., U-verse, do they gain deregulation without conferring much upside consumer benefits? For example most carriers offer unmetered (All You Can Eat") wireline service at about $20 a month, but metered wireless service costs 2 or 3 times as much.
How would deregulation create incentives for
carriers to migrate from copper to fiber media?
As many incumbents have eschewed POTS universal
service funding, will they similarly avoid broadband subsidies tied to open
network access requirements?
Will the migration remedy the digital divide,
including areas with limited or no wireless service?
