Telecoms Regulation

Regulation is designed to create a level playing field for the development of competition by defining the right balance between competing objectives such as:

  • Consumer interests
  • Investment incentives
  • The long term growth and development of the communications sector.

The design of regulatory frameworks, mechanisms and remedies is a complex task and needs to take into account:

  • Sector policy objectives
  • Technological developments (Next Generation Networks (NGN), etc)
  • The evolution of the market
  • Potential sources of market failure and appropriate remedies
  • Regulatory Impact Analysis.

Our capability statement on Telecoms Regulation: Strategy and Policy sets out how we provide assistance to telecoms operators, regulators and other stakeholders.

What are the issues?

  • What are the key issues, which should be high on the regulatory agenda over the next few years?
  • What are the trade-offs between certain regulatory issues and options?
  • How can different forms of anticompetitive behaviour be identified, e.g. a price squeeze, a margin squeeze, or predatory pricing?
  • When do positive impacts of mergers outweigh the reduction of competition in the mobile industry?
  • How can empirical evidence and economic and technical principles be used to support operators and regulators in the context of impact analyses and case building?
  • Which services should be made available universally throughout a given jurisdiction, what would this cost and how should it be funded?
  • How can shareholder value be maintained in the context of growing complexity in regulatory obligations and competitive challenge?
  • What terms and prices should be agreed for current and future interconnection services?

How we can help?

  • Our global network of telecoms regulation and technology specialists bring together the relevant skills needed to provide in-depth advice to operators and regulators
  • We work in partnership with our clients to establish coherent scenarios for the development of regulation and provide quantitative assessment of their impact
  • We can help with:
    • drafting policy papers on specific issues for internal discussion
    • providing support during regulatory submissions, including developing coherent and robust arguments for responses
    • designing regulatory policy and frameworks including regulatory roadmaps and organisational design
  • We aim to complement your team and strengthen their capabilities in the regulatory arena.

PwC's Telecommunications Regulation services include: 

  • Regulatory strategy and case building
  • Sector Policy
  • Cost Modelling
  • Interconnection
  • Retail Price Regulation
  • Retail Pricing Strategy
  • Cost of Capital
  • Comparative Efficiency Analysis
  • Separation Support
  • Regulatory accounting
  • Business modelling
  • Competition policy
  • Next Generation Networks (NGN)
  • Universal Service Obligations (USO)
  • Mobile termination rate
  • Number Portability
  • Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Access
  • Spectrum allocation and policy
  • Regulatory Compliance and Assurance