Publisher's Synopsis
The dynamics of change in the electronic communication environment are examined in this broad-ranging analysis. Robin Mansell′s study encompasses the political, economic and technical factors contributing to the future of telecommunication networks. It explores the consequences of policy decisions and design choices in the creation of intelligent networks. At the same time, the author demonstrates how both policies and technical aspects are themselves shaped by actors in the telecommunications sector. Outlining developments in the industry in the late 1980s and 1990s in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France and Sweden, the author shows how new technical, institutional and market arrangements are reshaping the terms and conditions of network access, with ultimate effects on participation in the `networked economy′.
