Telecommunications Regulatory Reform in Small Island Developing States: The Impact of the WTO’s Telecommunications Commitment

This book adopts an approach of ‘mixed-method research’ with an in-depth qualitative comparative case study analysis triangulated by a quantitative statistical analysis. In particular, the book attempts to capture Small Island Developing States control variables in its empirical analysis, often omitted from telecommunications empirical studies due to limited data.

Based on the smallest and most isolated small island states in the World, the research’s comparative case study analysis was conducted in five Pacific Island States (Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu). The book documents the early account of domestic telecommunications policies in Pacific Island case studies deemed useful for future research. In addition, the book proposes concrete policy insights to Small Island Developing State governments, telecommunications operators, academics and relevant international institutions.

The book attempts to link three different strands of academic literatures – namely ‘islandness’, ‘telecommunications policy reform’ and ‘international trade agreements (WTO)’ – through analyzing the political economy of telecommunications reform in an island economy context and the role of the fixed-rules of the World Trade Organization on the credibility of telecommunications reform.