Telecommunications in Germany : an economic perspective

Bibliographic Information

Telecommunications in Germany : an economic perspective

Günter Pfeiffer, Bernhard Wieland

Springer-Verlag, c1990

  • Berlin
  • New York

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Includes bibliographical references

Description and Table of Contents

Description

There is currently a proliferation of private telecommunications networks in al most every country of the world. More and more companies are setting up own privately managed and controlled telecommunications networks. Some observers fear that this development may lead to a fragmented telecommunications infra structure in which communication becomes increasingly difficult. Thus, the "net working" of private firms raises questions which resemble certain arguments in the classical "monopoly versus competition" debate in telecommunications. The central problem is whether the creation of a modern and competitive infrastructure can be left to the decentralised decision-making of private economic agents or not. In or der to assess this problem it is indispensible to look more deeply into the actual telecommunications activities of firms. In which ways do firms use telematics? In how far are their strategic options increased by telematics? Are there significant differences in the application of telematics across industries? Are there significant differences in the application of telematics across countries with differing regula tory regimes? Do large firms try to influence telecommunications policy in order to make it more responsive to their needs? These are only some of the questions focussing on the interrelation between firm's competitive strategy, their use of te lematics and the national telecommunications regulatory framework that we want to address in the following for the case of West-Germany.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.- 1.1 Background of the Book.- 1.2 A Few Remarks on Methodology.- 2 The Institutional Framework.- 2.1 The German PTT.- 2.1.1 The PTT up to the 1989 Reform.- 2.1.2 The PTT After Its Restructuring.- 2.2 The Amount of Regulation in the Various Submarkets of Telecommunications.- 2.2.1 The Submarkets up to the 1989 Reform.- 2.2.2 The Various Submarkets After Deregulation.- Appendix: Tariff Harmonization.- 3 The Debate on Telecommunications Policy Since the Middle of the Seventies.- 3.1 The Policy Debate Leading up to the Report of the Government Commission for Telecommunications.- 3.2 The Academic Discussion Before the Establishment of the Government Commission.- 3.3 The Report of the Government Commission for Telecommunications ("WITTE-Commission").- 3.4 The Concept of the Federal Government for Restructuring the Telecommunications Market and the DBP and the Final Bill.- 3.5 Some European Aspects.- 4 The Telecommunications Industry in Germany.- 4.1 Macroeconomic Aspects.- 4.2 Networks.- 4.2.1 Public Networks.- 4.2.2 Private Networks.- 4.3 Services.- 4.3.1 Public Services.- 4.3.2 Private Services.- 4.4 Hardware.- 4.4.1 Network Equipment.- 4.4.2 Terminal Equipment.- 4.4.3 Information Processing System Production.- 4.5 Software.- 4.6 Example: Cellular Radio.- 4.6.1 Mobile Radio Networks and Services.- 4.6.2 Mobile Radio Telephony.- 4.6.3 Cellular Radio Features and Applications.- 4.6.4 Analogue Cellular Radio in Germany.- 4.6.5 Digital Cellular Radio in Germany: Regulatory Framework and the Current Actors in the Market.- 4.7 Conclusions.- 5 Case Studies.- 5.1 Commerzbank AG.- 5.1.1 Introduction.- 5.1.2 Information and Communications Networks.- 5.1.3 Using Information and Communications Technology to Create Competitive Advantage.- 5.1.4 Further Developments.- 5.2 Daimler-Benz AG.- 5.2.1 Introduction: The Daimler-Benz Group.- 5.2.2 The Corporate Data Communications Network (DDVS).- 5.2.3 The Use of Telematics: A Source of Competitive Advantage.- 5.3 Nino AG.- 5.3.1 Introduction: NINO's Activities.- 5.3.2 NINO's Competitive Strategy.- 5.3.3 NINO's Information and Communications Networks.- 5.3.4 Using Telematics to Create Competitive Advantage.- 5.4 Nixdorf Computer AG.- 5.4.1 Nixdorf's Competitive Strategy: Determined by Products, Markets, and Organisation.- 5.4.2 Nixdorf's Network Strategy: Using Information and Communications Technologies to Create Competitive Advantage.- 6 Conclusions and Perspectives.- 6.1 The Corporate Use of Private Networks in Germany.- 6.2 How Do Firms Use Telematics? Organisation of the Next Two Sections.- 6.3 How Do Firms Use Telematics? The Value Chain.- 6.4 How Do Firms Use Telematics? Transforming the Product.- 6.5 The Widening of Markets.- 6.6 Conclusions.

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