Universal Service Obligations in Perspective: Lessons from the Rise and Decline of the Postal Service for Internet Service Providers

Pommerening, Christine. "Universal Service Obligations in Perspective: Lessons from the Rise and Decline of the Postal Service for Internet Service Providers." (August 30, 2012).

From the abstract: "In this paper, it is argued that the shift in the use of mail services reveal underlying attitudes about the availability, affordability, and security of information and communications services in general. Further, it is argued that universal service providers face both consumer expectations and regulatory rules that are not consistent with the actual need for service. In the case of the postal service, its Universal Service Obligation is perceived by many as sacrosanct, including large parts of the postal service itself, even though it is poorly defined, outdated, and costly." Read more