Why regulate the ICT sector?.- What is the effect of bundling in telecom?.- Interconnection Charges Regulation: How is telecom different from the Internet?.- Spectrum Regulation: Case of V-Band.- Intellectual Property or Creative Commons?.- Who governs the Internet?.- What are the nuances of Net Neutrality?.- Quality of Service: Why is it challenging in broadband services?.- Cyber Security: A two-edged Sword!.- Should Digital Platforms be regulated; if so how?.- Over The Top (OTT) Services – Should they be regulated much like Telecom Services?.- What are the privacy issues over data collected by the Internet and telecom firms?.- Regulation of Machine Intelligence: Is it a reality?.
Dr. V Sridhar is a Professor at the Centre for IT and Public Policy at the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B), India. He has published numerous articles in leading, peer-reviewed telecom and information systems journals, and is the author of two books published by the Oxford University Press: The Telecom Revolution in India: Technology, Regulation and Policy (2012) and The Dynamics of Spectrum Management: Legacy, Technology, and Economics (2014). He has also co-edited three volumes on “Business data communications and networking” published by IGI Global. Dr. Sridhar has taught at various institutions in the USA, Finland, New Zealand and India and also also worked in leading ICT firms on research and development. He has been a member of Government of India and the State of Karnataka, India committees on ICT. He has written a number of teaching cases on start-ups in India and has penned more than 250 articles relating to telecom regulation and policy in India in prominent business newspapers and magazines. Dr. Sridhar is actively involved in organizing and chairing conferences on telecom regulation and policy and has received funding for his research projects from a number of national and international sources.
Dr. Sridhar holds a Ph.D. from The University of Iowa, U.S.A., Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the National Institute for Training in Industrial Engineering, Mumbai, India, and a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) from the University of Madras, India.
This book constructs both educational and research arguments on various dimensions
of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) policy and regulation. There has
been a paradigm shift in the ICT industry due to convergence of various technologies,
the ubiquity of the Internet, the emergence of app economy and the pervasiveness
of social media. These pose policy and regulatory challenges in the areas of industry
structure, market power of firms, pricing of products and services, interconnection of
networks and data privacy.
The book addresses 13 important questions in the areas of: i) Telecom Regulation:
bundling of products and services, interconnection, and radio spectrum; (ii) Internet
Regulation: governance of the Internet, Net Neutrality, quality of service, and cyber
security; (iii) App Economy Regulation: Over The Top communication and broadcast
services, digital platforms and economy, data protection and privacy; and (iv) Emerging
Technology Regulation: Machine Intelligence and Intellectual Property Rights. Specific
focus is given to the regulatory landscape in India surrounding these questions and the
lessons for similar emerging countries.
Written in the form of contemporary questions and answers, this unique book appeals
to researchers and students in ICT policy and regulation, regulators and policymakers,
as well as general audience interested in the subject area.
“... provides a theoretical framework for analysing each regulatory issue along with
practical implications. A good reference for researchers, regulators and policy makers.”
—Dr R.S. Sharma, Chairman, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
“... provides an excellent overview of the challenges that the world faces in coping with the
dynamic new emerging digital technologies that affect the way we work, play and communicate
with each other...lays out the issues of regulating global ICT and policies that governments
should adopt to enable its productive and positive use.”
—Dr G. Anand Anandalingam, Ralph J. Tyser Professor of Management Science,
Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, U.S.A.
“Prof Sridhar is a Thought Leader in the Telecom space... This book is an excellent
compendium looking at the main regulations and policies with reference to the ICT sector.
It serves as a ready reckoner for new entrants and professionals alike, providing global and
local perspectives on topics that impact the growing Digital Economy.”
—P. Balaji, Chief Regulatory and Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Idea Limited, India
Read endorsements by other experts from industry and academia inside the book and on book’s homepage https://www.springer.com/in/book/9789813290211.