Broadband Policy in the Light of the Dutch Experience with Telecommunications Liberalization

Abstract EU telecommunications regulators have taken a more activist role than those in the US in promoting competition. How successful have they been? Dr. de Bijl notes that over the last decade, the outcomes predicted by EU policymakers have largely failed to materialize. Sustainable facilities-based competition is still remote. A return to monopolies is possible. For the US, this suggests regulation that focuses on promoting innovation and investment while preserving the social benefits of the Internet as a general purpose technology.