ABSTRACT
For the past two decades, broadband access has been provided by traditional telecommunication and cable TV operators. These operators have leveraged their existing twisted pair and hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) wireline networks to offer triple play voice, data and video services. Typically, they have operated with a national market focus while serving the needs of their original domestic markets. With the increasing importance of mobile communications and networking in the last decade, many of these operators purchased mobile networks in other markets. Then, with the move toward quadruple-play services, including wireless services with triple play offers, a convergence of fixed and mobile operators in each domestic market began to occur. However, given the hyper-competitive nature of the marketplace, this convergence often came at the expense of further global expansion. As a result, a relatively localized set of converged operators emerged.
