Emerging Patterns in Global Telecommunications Alliances and Mergers.

This paper examines global telecommunications mergers and alliances. Telecommunications companies are combining with other companies with increasing frequency. OECD customers, companies and governments are the key players driving and shaping this trend. Customers drive companies to provide local infrastructure and multinational services. Company strategies to penetrate foreign markets, exploit production economies, increase control and decrease competitive pressure increase merger and alliance activity. These mergers and alliances may actually increase rivalry rather than decrease it, so decreased government intervention may be in order. Copyright 1998 by Oxford University Press.