ABSTRACT
The strong increase in demand for international network services on one hand and the rapid changes in the telecommunications environment in many countries on the other, call for a closer examination of international networks. This chapter focuses on the reasons, means, and approach in such an examination and provides a brief overview of literature on the management of networks. Four trends affecting international networks have been found in practice and in literature. These include increased scale and globalization, changing regulatory environments, a widening range of telecommunications services being offered and the trend to subcontract management outside the organization. International networks are in rapid development and a concurrent demand for international communications has risen sharply. Liberalization of telecommunications markets around the world currently is an important trend that helps change international networks. Liberalization usually means that telecommunications services may be offered by multiple parties and not, as was traditionally the case, only by one monopolistic telecommunications company or ministry.
