Document Type

Closed Project

Publication Date

Spring 2012

Instructor

Timothy Anderson

Course Title

Managing New Technology Introduction

Course Number

ETM 548/648

Subjects

Telecommunication -- Management, New products -- Management, Technological innovations, Telecommunication -- Effect of limited regulation on

Abstract

Since deregulation of industry in 1983, telecommunication companies have had to manage product development in an environment with major changes in technology, ongoing regulation, and a changing competitive landscape. Few industries have had to navigate so many concurrent changes as the telecommunications industry.

This report seeks to evaluate how the major telecommunications suppliers successful package and introduce new products in an environment with limited regulation changing technologies. An evaluation of voice and data products introduced by AT&T, Sprint and MCI (later WorldCom, Verizon) reveal how carriers maintain profit margins despite falling prices in a highly competitive environment. Few industries could claim to have created a science of deceptive pricing policies as successfully as the telecommunications industry. Through a series of proverbial shell games, few customers have the savvy to understand, telecommunications carriers take advantage of falling service delivery costs as a result of technology improvements, create complex multi-variable pricing schemes that only appear to pass along the technology savings to their customers.

Furthermore, in what many would call conclusion among the carriers, customers thinking that competitive bidding ensures the most competitive price are collectively mislead by all bidders. This report sheds light on the product development and service introduction process of telecommunications suppliers. It should be noted that while data is available regarding regulatory information, and to a limited degree the product development process referenced herein, this report contains primary research based on an analysis of custom telecommunications contracts filled with the FCC from 1996 to the present.

Rights

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Comments

This project is only available to students, staff, and faculty of Portland State University

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/22039

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