DRAKE, William J.

WTO deal on basic telecommunications : big bang or little whimper. - 1997

Debates the potential impact of the Group on Basic Telecommunications (GBT) agreement reached in February 1997. Argues that the GBT deal could have a substantial liberalizing effect not only on specific markets, but also on the broader institutional arrangements of the global telecommunications policy environment. Conversely, while the GBT is useful, its significance is being greatly exaggerated, most policy changes were taking place anyway, and it could in some cases have the negative effect of slowing down the process of global liberalization.