Telecommunication tariffs in central Europe

Higher telephone penetration and the availability of other telecommunication services are prerequisites for the overall development of economics in central Europe. Therefore, many of the countries in that region have commenced ambitious programs for the modernization and expansion of their telecommunication networks. The outdated tariff structures, inherited from periods of massive excess demand, could jeopardize these programs. The existing tariffs are briefly analyzed and a set of principles, based on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) experiences, which might govern tariff policies in central Europe in the future is presented.<>