ABSTRACT
Politics has dictated the pace and direction of Meganet's growth since the first telephone and telegraph lines were installed in the nineteenth century. Governments were quick to take over the new networks as an extension of their traditional claim to control information resources. This political shift is the main impetus for Meganet's current expansion, both geographically and in its technical capabilities. Meganet growth is most visible in the spurt in ordinary telephone service. Meanwhile, US firms are striving to increase their share of overseas markets. They have enlisted the federal government's aid in lowering trade barriers that limit US exports in Meganet-related areas. Technical standards are part of the mosaic of issues that collectively make up US communications policy in the Meganet era. It is only in the last decade or so that a coherent idea has emerged as to the impact of communications resources on US strategic interests.
