Table of contents
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Rural Telecommunications Glossary of Terms

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The Study Findings on Technology and Cost
Affordability and Willingness to Pay
The Real Costs and Revenues, and Policy Implications
Multiple Operator Environment
Single Operator Environment
Monopoly or Competition?
Policy Balance and Funding Approaches

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1  Background
1.2  Focus of this Report
1.3  Contents of the Report

2. THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT
2.1  General Overview
2.2  The State of Rural Service Today
2.3  Technological Advance and “Leap-frogging”
2.4  Establishing a Realistic Level of Penetration
2.5  Overview of Sector Reform Approaches
2.6  Public Sector Reform with Limited Liberalization
2.7  Joint Venture, Risk/Revenue-Sharing and Outsourcing
2.8  Privatization of Main Carriers
2.9  Regional Rural Operators
2.10  Competitive Rural Operators
2.11  Summary

3. THE ECONOMIC ROLE OF RURAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS
3.1  Background
3.2  Economic Benefits
3.3  Distribution of Benefits
3.4  Telephone Line Affordability and Payphones
3.5  Planning and Deployment Implications

4. TECHNOLOGY & COST RELATIONSHIPS
4.1  Introduction
4.2  Technology Overview
4.3  Cost Analysis
4.4  Summary
4.5  Current and Future Trends

5. COMMERCIAL VIABILITY OF THE OPERATION
5.1  General
5.2  Cost Structure of Commercial Operation
5.3  Incremental Costs
5.4  National versus Regional/Rural Operation
5.5  Matching Revenues with Costs: a Basic Feasibility Model
5.6  Rural Income Levels
5.7  Revenue and Penetration Potential
5.8  Combining Revenues and Costs
5.9  Application of the Feasibility Model: General Country Examples
5.10  Comparing the Model Against Specific Case Examples
5.11  Experience with Payphones
5.12  Other Forms of Revenue Enhancement

6. PRICING, TARIFFS AND INTERCONNECTION
6.1  General
6.2  Tariff Fundamentals
6.3  Price and Revenue Generation Calculations
6.4  Summary
6.5  Revenue and Cost Sharing: Subsidization Issues
6.6  Transfers among Operators
6.7  Summary

7. FINANCING OPTIONS
7.1  General
7.2  The Market Entry Options
7.3  Degrees of Interest and the Commercial Environment
7.3  Rural Funding Potential and Requirements

List of Appendices
List of Figures
List of Tables
References