Sir, you are director of research for the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies. I'm wondering if you have had an opportunity to glean anything from the U.S. experience on the competitive telecom policy there. A court decision had basically upended their version of forbearance, and the conclusion is that after several years the U.S. telecom industry will soon be almost as highly concentrated as it had been prior to the 1984 breakup of the old AT&T as a result of a simple retake or revision or a return to the old monopolies.
It's been the position of the members on this side that there is, without an understanding of a substantial and proper market study, an event that was recommended by the TPR, that this is very much what could happen.
Your comments seem to escape or not to include the fact that the ILECs come from hitherto monopolies. Are you not concerned that without proper safeguards--and of course I understand what you just said with respect to Ms. Sheridan Scott and a few others. But from your perspective, have you had a chance to do any international analysis as far as what happens when regimes are deregulated in the absence of a market study?