電信普及服務政策規劃之研究

Abstract

電信普及服務政策雖然已發展各種理論，但目前仍未有系統及整合性理論，提供政策規劃之準繩。本研究即藉由公共政策制定之福利經濟學、公共選擇理論及新制度經濟學途徑，對照現有電信普及服務政策制定的原因、目標、服務對象、服務範圍及政策工具的選擇，經由系統性的理論基礎，並參考美國與英國電信普及服務政策，歸納、解釋我國現有政策，期運用既有相關理論觀照可能的不足之處，以供我國未來電信普及服務政策規劃之參考。 本研究發現，電信普及服務理論政策制定的原因，可歸納為經濟性、政治性與社會性理由。而可利用性、可負擔性與可近用性，同時界定了政策的問題與目標，其中電信網路或國家的發展，雖然提供政策變遷的基本條件，但無法推論因此而必然發生變遷。在提供服務的對象方面，制度仍以資源分配效能與降低不當侵擾市場機制的方向設計。在服務範圍的界定，源自於科技所造成的不確定性，在制度上多維持彈性並藉由程序性與定期檢視，以避免恣意變更。電信普及服務政策演變，是一種政策工具失靈與變遷的過程，而無論利用市場與政府機制，均有其本質上的缺限，致使政策規劃不完全以市場或政府絕對式的區分，而演變的方向更受制於正式與非正式制度的制約，致使政策的選擇可能只是實存制度與利害關係人互動下，交易成本最小化一種選擇與變遷過程。 本研究就我國電信普及服務政策提出下列建議：一、調整失衡的電信普及服務政策，宜納入可負擔與可近用性目標；二、電信普及服務對象與範圍，宜以成本為基礎，有效鑑別目標族群，強化競爭機制，維持技術中立，並補強利害關係人參與機制；三、電信普及服務基金宜速改善透明度；四、應創造其它混合型工具的發展空間；五、降低使用強制型政策工具，強化治理能力，善用市場機制。

Theories of policies on universal access and universal service in telecommunications have been developed in various perspectives, yet a systemized and integrated paradigm is not available to serve as a criterion for policy making. Following principles of public policy making from the perspectives of welfare economics, public choice theory, and new institutional economics, this research uses present policies on universal access and universal service to study the rationale of policy making and its targets, served users and its range, and choice of policy Instruments. Through a systematic framework and references of policies on universal access and universal service in telecommunications from the US and UK, it is expected that this research could spot out deficiencies in current policies and provide a reference to future policy making in Taiwan. The research results demonstrate that the rationale of policy making is grounded in economic, political, and social factors whereas the scope and objective of policies are defined by availability, affordability, and accessibility. Developments of telecommunications and states are prerequisites for policy changing, yet changes are not requisite. From the perspective of served users, current framework is designed on efficient distribution of resources and reduction of improper market interferences. The framework of defining service range, restrained by unstableness of technology, remains flexible, and is examined by procedural and regular investigation in order to prevent haphazard changes. Revision of policies on universal access and universal service in telecommunications reflects the incompetence of policy tools and their changing process. There are deficiencies in utilizing either market mechanism or governmental mechanism, which result in an ambiguous distinction between market and government when proposing policies. The direction of revision is confined by formal and informal systems, which limit the choice of policy tools to the interplay between existing system and stakeholders, compromising the choice of policy tools and revision of policies on minimized trading costs. Based on the research results, it is suggested that 1) the disparity of policies on universal access and universal service in telecommunications can be amended through including affordability and accessibility; 2) served users and range should be based on costs, effectively distinguish target groups, strengthen competitive mechanism, maintain technology neutrality, and reinforce the participatory mechanism of stakeholders; 3) the universal service fund should be improved and crystalized; 4) other mixed policy Instruments should be developed; 5) usage of compulsory policy Instruments should be reduced, management skills are to be strengthened, and market mechanism should be maneuvered.