This report is the result of dialogue and research focusing on the World Dialogue on Regulation (WDR) theme Stimulating Investment in Network Development: Roles for Regulators. It comes at a time when investment in developing country networks has come to a virtual standstill, focusing attention on the fact that most national telecom regulatory environments create ‘regulatory risk’ that drives up investment risk, when regulation should be providing a degree of confidence that would reduce investment risk. The research reported here demonstrates that network development requires a much broader focus if anything resembling universal access in an internet environment is to be achieved. The case studies of prepaid mobile, internet and radio, and several country case studies provide important illustrations of network extensions achieved outside the bounds of official universal access policies and practices.
