Digital economy and regulatory issues. Introduction

Günter Knieps, Ingo Vogelsang
2007 International Economics and Economic Policy  
This special issue contributes to the topical field of Internet economics. The articles focus on multi-platform competition, the changing role of telecommunications regulation, issues of net neutrality, and open source software and innovation. Convergence of the telecommunications, media and information technology (IT) sectors Convergence of the telecommunications, media and information technology sectors has accelerated in recent years with the emergence of the Internet and with the increasing
more » ... capability of existing networks to carry both telecommunications and broadcasting services. Developments in digital technologies and software are creating large innovative technological potential for the production, distribution and consumption of information services. Convergence, characterised as the ability of different network platforms to carry essentially similar kinds of services, may have different faces: telecommunications operators may offer audio-visual programming over their network, broadcasters may provide data services over their networks, cable operators may provide a range of telecommunication services. Up to the present time the most relevant evolution and adaptation of such platform independence is that of the transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP).
doi:10.1007/s10368-007-0087-3 fatcat:dp6jdhdugffynlfqwb3njshliy