Structural separation - or at least full-blown operational separation - is required to advance the entire industry and to create new business opportunities and innovations which will benefit our society, our economy and ultimately our industry. There is increased global consensus that the real solution is structural separation; in 2008 developments are taking place across Europe, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore. With broadband rapidly becoming the major driver in the telco industry, there is a growing demand for new services, which cannot be delivered by the telcos. In order to properly address new customer demand, horizontal business structures instead of vertical structures are required. This report provides critical analyses of the importance of structural separation for the future of the telecommunications industry and includes case studies of the developments in selected countries. See separate report for information on Open Networks.
