When Anders Henten decided to publish one of the outputs of our research project in a print-only journal as Henten, A.; Samarajiva, R.; Melody, W.H. (2002), The next step for telecom regulation: ICT convergence regulation or multisector utilities regulation? South African Journal of Information & Communication, 3: 101-16, I was unenthused.
But 15 years later, the work has been read and is quoted by a former broadcast regulator:
In fact, according to the RAND Corporation 2008 study on converged regulatory regimes, “a monolithic information regulator is not the sole or not even the best answer to deal with convergence. Even with an integrated regulator, traditional silos remain and new ones emerge. In their paper, “The Next Step for Telecom Regulation: ICT Convergence Regulation or Multisector Utilities Regulation?” Anders Henten, Rohan Samarajiva and William Melody were quick to point out that “regulation of different communication and media areas cannot just be joined together organizationally, expecting synergies to develop from the mere organizational unification process. It must be clearly determined how the different functions relate to one another”.
Was it that he had preserved the hardcopy? Gone to the library? Possibly not. I ran the title in Google and found that it is no longer print only.
But still, a good feeling when issues that we researched and debated back in the peaceful days in Europe still have currency.
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