Decentralization and confusion about the state of European telecoms: Perceptions versus reality in policy formation abroad

The implications of the experience in Europe with telecommunications policy design and broadband Internet development have become a contested area of policy debate, both in Europe and in other countries. This paper evaluates the manner in which the European experience has been characterized in telecommunications policy debates in Canada about wholesale Internet access regulations. Using broadband Internet speed measurements, we assess the empirical relevance of characterizations of Europe by private interest groups trying to shape public policy in Canada. The analysis highlights the importance of national telecom policies and operator strategies for explaining divergent paths of network development.