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Co-investments and tacit collusion in regulated network industries: Experimental evidence

Author

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  • Krämer, Jan
  • Vogelsang, Ingo
Abstract
With the use of a laboratory experiment, we show the effects of co-investments on coverage, competition and price collusion in regulated network industries. On the one hand, co-investments turn out not to be a significant driver of new infrastructure investments beyond the level achieved by access regulation and they seem to facilitate tacit price collusion. On the other hand, co-investments economize on infrastructure investment costs and necessitate communication, which partially offset the aforementioned effects. In fact, communication between the firms on their future coverage, especially outside co-investments, seems to have a positive effect on investments. However, the surprising message of the experiment is that tacit collusion happens under co-investment although there is no reason to believe that it should and although we made almost every effort to prevent it. Our results indicate that regulators should evaluate co-investments with scrutiny as there are definite drawbacks that must be considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Krämer, Jan & Vogelsang, Ingo, 2012. "Co-investments and tacit collusion in regulated network industries: Experimental evidence," 23rd European Regional ITS Conference, Vienna 2012 60389, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:itse12:60389
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Vogelsang, Ingo, 2019. "Has Europe missed the endgame of telecommunications policy?," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 1-10.
    2. Hoernig, Steffen & Cambini, Carlo, 2013. "Cooperative Investment, Uncertainty and Access," CEPR Discussion Papers 9376, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Briglauer Wolfgang & Frübing Stefan & Vogelsang Ingo, 2014. "The Impact of Alternative Public Policies on the Deployment of New Communications Infrastructure – A Survey," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 13(3), pages 227-270, September.
    4. Vogelsang Ingo, 2013. "The Endgame of Telecommunications Policy? A Survey," Review of Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 64(3), pages 193-270, December.
    5. Bourreau, Marc & Lestagey, Romain, 2018. "Access and Cooperative Investment under Asymmetric Infrastructure Competition," 22nd ITS Biennial Conference, Seoul 2018. Beyond the boundaries: Challenges for business, policy and society 190375, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    6. Balmera, Roberto E. & Ünverb, Mehmet Bilal, 2016. "Cooperative investment in next generation broadband networks: A review of recent practical cases and literature," 27th European Regional ITS Conference, Cambridge (UK) 2016 148657, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    7. Cambini, Carlo & Silvestri, Virginia, 2013. "Investment sharing in broadband networks," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(10), pages 861-878.
    8. Balmer, Roberto E., 2014. "Geographic regulation and cooperative investment in next generation broadband networks," 20th ITS Biennial Conference, Rio de Janeiro 2014: The Net and the Internet - Emerging Markets and Policies 106889, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    9. Cojoc, Anca & Ivaldi, Marc & Maier-Rigaud, Frank P. & März, Oliver, 2020. "Horizontal cooperation on investment: Evidence from mobile network sharing," TSE Working Papers 20-1100, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    10. Balmera, Roberto E. & Ünverb, Mehmet Bilal, 2016. "Geographic regulation of next generation broadband networks: A review of practical cases and recent literature," 27th European Regional ITS Conference, Cambridge (UK) 2016 148656, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    11. Wisuttisak, Pornchai & Kim, Chul Ju & Rahim, Mia Mahmudur, 2021. "PPPs and challenges for competition law and policy in ASEAN," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 291-306.
    12. Balmer, Roberto E., 2015. "Geographic regulation of next generation broadband networks: A review of practical cases and recent literature," 26th European Regional ITS Conference, Madrid 2015 127125, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    13. Balmer, Roberto E., 2015. "Cooperative investment in next generation broadband networks: A review of recent practical cases and literature," 26th European Regional ITS Conference, Madrid 2015 127124, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    experimental economics; network industries; co-investment; collusion; regulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C92 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Group Behavior
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L50 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - General
    • L97 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Utilities: General

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