Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2013

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Learning Sciences and Human Development

Committee Chair

Terence C. Ahern.

Abstract

Expanded telecommunications was deemed a serious need for end users. The "Local Market" and "Last Mile" market segments have largely consolidated into "natural utilities". Competition and access problems occur if new providers enter the local market and desire competitive access and service to end users. Local and last mile telecommunications market structures are believed to be significantly responsible for inhibiting achievement of a more perfect marketplace. The purpose of this study was to examine potential solutions from laboratory network emulation results addressing the research question "Can equal open access and competition for all users be created in the telecommunications local and last mile segments?" Emulations for 63 local and last mile models were designed and grouped into 16 scenarios. An observation questionnaire was designed to provide further qualitative data regarding the models. The experiment was constructed and attempted to be operated, but the SOHO routers representing telecommunications marketplace participants could not be properly configured to successfully network with each other to provide Traceroute data for validity and verification purposes. Observation data was obtained and was classified into groups and used to create model "filters" regarding optimal local market competition, provider interconnectivity, and four types of last mile provision. All of the models were filtered and scored. Those with the lowest scores (best attributes) were considered to be the leading candidates to address the research question. Further discussion involved opportunities for continued research, application of the findings in real telecommunication markets, and possibilities of why the emulation failed.

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