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Deregulating Network Industries: Dealing with Price-quality Tradeoffs

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  • Stefan Buehler
  • Dennis Gärtner
  • Daniel Halbheer

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of introducing competition into monopolized network industries on prices and infrastructure quality. Analyzing a model with reduced-form demand, we first show that deregulating an integrated monopoly cannot simultaneously decrease the retail price and increase infrastructure quality. Second, we derive conditions under which reducing both retail price and infrastructure quality relative to the integrated monopoly outcome increases welfare. Third, we argue that restructuring and setting very low access charges may yield welfare losses, as infrastructure investment is undermined. We provide an extensive analysis of the linear demand model and discuss policy implications. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2006

Suggested Citation

  • Stefan Buehler & Dennis Gärtner & Daniel Halbheer, 2006. "Deregulating Network Industries: Dealing with Price-quality Tradeoffs," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 99-115, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:regeco:v:30:y:2006:i:1:p:99-115
    DOI: 10.1007/s11149-006-0011-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Avenali, Alessandro & Matteucci, Giorgio & Reverberi, Pierfrancesco, 2014. "Broadband investment and welfare under functional and ownership separation," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 70-82.
    2. Dominik Schober, 2013. "Refinancing under Yardstick Regulation with Investment Cycles–The Case of Long-Lived Electricity Network Assets," EWL Working Papers 1321, University of Duisburg-Essen, Chair for Management Science and Energy Economics, revised Jun 2013.
    3. Schober, Dominik & Weber, Christoph, 2015. "Refinancing under yardstick regulation with investment cycles: The case of long-lived electricity network assets," ZEW Discussion Papers 15-065, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    4. Andreas Haller & Christian Jaag & Urs Trinkner, 2013. "Termination charges in the international parcel market," Chapters, in: Michael A. Crew & Paul R. Kleindorfer (ed.), Reforming the Postal Sector in the Face of Electronic Competition, chapter 19, pages 277-293, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Gilbert, Richard J., 2021. "Separation: A Cure for Abuse of Platform Dominance?," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    6. Growitsch, Christian & Stronzik, Marcus, 2011. "Ownership Unbundling of Gas Transmission Networks - Empirical Evidence," EWI Working Papers 2011-7, Energiewirtschaftliches Institut an der Universitaet zu Koeln (EWI).
    7. Andreas Haller & Christian Jaag & Urs Trinkner, 2011. "Termination Charges in the International Parcel Market: Competition and Regulation," Working Papers 0028, Swiss Economics.
    8. Fabian Queder, 2020. "Towards a vertically separated broadband infrastructure: The potential role of voluntary separation," Competition and Regulation in Network Industries, , vol. 21(2), pages 143-165, June.
    9. Stefan Bühler & Simon Wey, 2010. "Demand-Enhancing Investment in Mixed Duopoly," University of St. Gallen Department of Economics working paper series 2010 2010-16, Department of Economics, University of St. Gallen.
    10. Mark Armstrong & David E.M. Sappington, 2006. "Regulation, Competition and Liberalization," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 44(2), pages 325-366, June.
    11. Sand, Jan Y., 2012. "Infrastructure quality regulation," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 310-319.
    12. Conti, Chiara & Reverberi, Pierfrancesco, 2021. "Price discrimination and product quality under opt-in privacy regulation," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    13. Alessandro Avenali & Giorgio Matteucci & Pierfrancesco Reverberi, 2010. "How does vertical industry structure affect investment in infrastructure quality?," DIS Technical Reports 2010-08, Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza".
    14. Christian Growitsch & Marcus Stronzik, 2014. "Ownership unbundling of natural gas transmission networks: empirical evidence," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 46(2), pages 207-225, October.
    15. D’Annunzio, Anna, 2017. "Vertical integration in the TV market: Exclusive provision and program quality," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 114-144.
    16. Gugler, Klaus & Rammerstorfer, Margarethe & Schmitt, Stephan, 2013. "Ownership unbundling and investment in electricity markets — A cross country study," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 702-713.
    17. Yongmin Chen & David E. M. Sappington, 2010. "Innovation In Vertically Related Markets," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(2), pages 373-401, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Infrastructure quality; Deregulation; Investment incentives; Access charges; Regulation; D43; L434;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D43 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Oligopoly and Other Forms of Market Imperfection
    • L43 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Legal Monopolies and Regulation or Deregulation

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