2002年-世界发展银行全球_Closing_the_Gap_in_Access_to_Rural_Communications___Chile_1995-2002_66页_2mb

Summary of "Closing the Gap in Access to Rural Communications" (Chile 1995-2002)

Core Content

This document provides an in-depth analysis of Chile's Telecommunications Development Fund (Fondo de Desarrollo de las Telecomunicaciones), established in 1994 to improve access to basic voice communication in rural and low-income urban areas. The Fund aimed to reduce the digital divide by leveraging private investment and market mechanisms to extend telecommunications services to underserved regions.

Main Points

• Objective: To provide payphones and additional services in rural and low-income urban areas through private investment, supported by government subsidies.
• Framework: The Fund was created under Chile's 1982 telecommunications law, with its duration extended due to the scale of the task.
• Funding: Subsidies were allocated through competitive tenders, with the Fund covering only a small portion of the total investment.
• Success: By 2002, the Fund had significantly reduced the proportion of Chileans without access to basic voice communication from 15% to 1%, with over 6,000 rural localities and 25,000 individual lines being established.
• Cost-Effectiveness: The Fund's cost was minimal, with subsidies representing less than 0.3% of total telecommunications sector revenue and administration costs at 3% of subsidies granted.
• Private Investment: Private companies invested significantly more than the Fund, with an average ratio of 6:1 (private to subsidy).
• Regulatory Success: Minimal government intervention, reliance on market forces, and effective leadership were key to the Fund's success.
• Challenges: Issues such as long-term sustainability of rural services, remaining unserved populations, and potential need for urban interventions were identified.

Key Information

• Eligible Projects: Projects were grouped by geographical proximity and cost-effectiveness. Each project underwent cost-benefit analysis from both private and social perspectives.
• Subsidy Allocation: Subsidies were based on the social net present value (NPV) per unit of subsidy, with the maximum subsidy set to make a project commercially viable.
• Licensing: Winning bidders received non-exclusive 30-year licenses to provide payphones and additional services. Regional call charges were capped and adjusted annually.
• Service Utilization: On average, each Fund-supported payphone generated about one outgoing call per month per inhabitant, with revenue typically ranging from US$500 to US$2,000 per year per payphone.
• Impact on Subsidies: As the Fund expanded to more remote and poorer areas, the subsidy per payphone and per inhabitant increased significantly.

Structure of the Fund

• Administration: Managed by a seven-member council appointed by the President, with SUBTEL providing secretarial and technical support.
• Competitive Tenders: Seven rounds of tenders were held from 1995 to 2000, with projects awarded to the bidder requiring the lowest one-time subsidy.
• Access Charges: Defined in tender documents, these charges were adjusted annually for wholesale prices, labor costs, foreign exchange, and corporate tax rates.

Success Factors

• Reliance on Market Forces: Private companies were incentivized to invest in rural areas through competitive subsidies.
• Minimal Regulation: The Fund operated with limited government interference, allowing market-driven decisions.
• Efficient Processing: Simple and fast procedures enabled timely project implementation.
• Government Leadership: Effective leadership and coordination were crucial for the Fund's success.
• Competition: Operators competed for rural markets and subsidies, leading to cost reductions and service expansion.

Selected Success Factors

• Competition for the Market: Encouraged private investment and reduced costs.
• Growth-Oriented Business Strategy: Companies used subsidized payphones to expand into additional services, enhancing profitability.
• Cost-Reflective Access Charges: These helped ensure the financial sustainability of the Fund and the services it supported.

Improvements to the Basic Design

• Target Population: The Fund aimed to cover the most underserved areas, with a focus on rural regions.
• Selection Bias: Projects with higher social NPV per unit of subsidy were prioritized.
• Local Participation: Local authorities and communities were involved in the process.
• Implementation Delays and Penalties: Mechanisms were introduced to address delays and ensure timely project completion.
• Quality of Service and Monitoring: Ongoing monitoring was necessary to maintain service quality.
• Regulatory Framework: A clear and flexible regulatory environment was essential for the Fund's success.

Outstanding Questions

• Sustainability of Rural Service: Concerns about the long-term viability of services in rural areas remain.
• Remaining Unserved Rural Population: A small percentage of the rural population is still without access.
• Urban Areas: Whether the Fund's model can be extended to urban areas is an open question.
• Quality and Monitoring: Ongoing work is needed to improve quality standards and monitoring systems.

Beyond Voice

The Fund's model has implications for expanding access to more advanced communication services and information technologies, suggesting a pathway for future development in this area.

Conclusion

The Chilean Telecommunications Development Fund represents a successful and cost-effective model for improving rural communication access through private investment and market mechanisms. It has been replicated in other regions, and its principles offer valuable lessons for developing countries seeking to bridge the digital divide.

Annex Highlights

• Cost-Benefit Analysis: Projects were evaluated based on both private and social NPV, with subsidies aimed at making them commercially viable.
• Access Charges: These were set to reflect operational costs and adjusted annually to maintain cost-reflectiveness.

References

• The Fund's success was attributed to efficient administration, competitive bidding, and minimal regulation.
• The document includes tables detailing the Fund's progress, subsidy amounts, and service utilization data.