Cost orientation and xDSL services: Retail-minus vs. LRAIC

  • Authors:
  • Ricardo Gonçalves

  • Affiliations:
  • Faculdade de Economia e Gestão, Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Porto), Rua Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal

  • Venue:
  • Telecommunications Policy
  • Year:
  • 2007

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Abstract

Forward-looking long run average incremental cost (LRAIC) bottom-up models have now established themselves as a popular methodology to guide European telecommunications regulators' setting of interconnection charges between the incumbent and other operators. The purpose of this article is to discuss the adequacy of using bottom-up LRAIC models or retail-minus to calculate bitstream access charges-the charges typically applicable to wholesale xDSL services. In particular, the author is interested in the cost drivers of such services, how different they are from circuit-switched voice services, and ultimately whether retail-minus should be preferred over LRAIC models when setting these bitstream charges.