我國電信事業固定網路互連接續費計算基礎之研究

Abstract

隨著電信自由化的腳步，我國各項電信業務陸續開放，新進業者加入後，為達用戶彼此通信，並不需要重建一套網路，而是使用已經建設好的網路設施，通信的完整，必須網路相連，基於使用者付費原則，業者使用對方業者已建好的網路並付費，就是網路互連接續費。固定網路業務屬於第一類電信業務，資費受到管制，本研究就是探討我國固定網路互連接續費的計算基礎。 雖然經濟理論市場定價趨勢在邊際收入等於邊際成本，但於電信產業並不適用，因一旦大量投資建設後，其後的一單位邊際成本很小，如以邊際成本定價必無法回收龐大投資，無法永續經營，電信產業乃發展增支成本，以增量計算成本，但為數極大的固定成本仍未納入；長期增支成本引入長期觀念，使固定成本成為變動成本，但長期增支成本卻不包含共同成本；合理計算方式是使用長期增支成本並適度分攤共同成本。歷史成本雖確實可信，但網路互連接續費是為未來一段時間之定價，應反應未來成本趨勢，此外，為避免現有業者的不效率成本由其他業者承擔，應以有效率業者經營角度來衡量成本，乃有現時成本出現，所謂有效率業者經營角度，即是追求現時等值資產精神。 本研究根據現有業者之成本劃分原則及共同成本分攤理論，仿造建立模型，以虛擬估計值代入，並採納Ergas在其模型構建過程以實際使用量作為增量之原則進行推算，將模型依據之架構與所獲得之結果，與本研究探討歐美先進之方法原則與理論所得及我國管制機構所規範原則加以比較，發現現有業者之網路互連接續費計算模式，在採用全元件長期增支成本法計算細分化網路元件之單位成本過程中，以公平合理之增量設定，共同成本適度分攤，及有效率業者經營基礎及前瞻性成本原則，已直追歐美先進，符合世界趨勢；進而由計算方法及計算程序分析，探討成本池庫及成本動因之建立，推斷應能滿足我國主管機關之規範並獲得其認可。

After the liberalization of telecommunications, the private sectors was able to joint the telecommunication services industry. Although the entrants do not need to construct fixed network infrastructure themselves, it is necessary for them to pay the surcharges to the dominant carriers. “Network Interconnection” is defined as the network connections between telecommunications carriers enables communication between subscribers of other telecommunications carriers. Market pricing between telecommunication carriers has changed at many stages. Marginal cost was a trend at one time, but it was not appropriate since marginal cost for each single call was quite minimal. It is not possible for the carriers to cover its huge investments and routine maintenance perpetually. Incremental cost which is based on incremental calculation therefore proposed and adopted. Because a great deal of fixed cost was missing in the calculation in incremental cost, an improved pricing called Long Run Incremental Cost (LRIC) was then developed. LRIC makes fixed cost variable so that it could be included in the calculation. However, because no common cost was included in the calculation, a more reasonable pricing was applied instead. An even reasonable approach is to adopt LRIC on one hand and apportion relevant common cost on the other. Moreover, current cost in stead of historic cost is a better base in calculation. Because current cost reflects modern equivalent assets and the functionality increases with technology improvement, especially the costs that would be incurred in the current period by an efficient supplier of the service at issue, it is widely applied by telecommunication carriers now a days. According to the principle of cost separating and the theories of apportionment of common cost of dominant carrier, this study constructs a model which inserting virtual value, and using an increment defined in terms of the total volume of the service, including both sales to competitors and the incumbent’s supply for Chunghwa Telecom. It is found that the interconnection charges calculated by the dominant carrier has the basis of TELRIC and is determined by the cost of the unbundled network elements. The dominant carrier uses a reasonable increment and a fair proportion of common costs in an effective carrier base. It also has long term beneficial pricing, an effective calculated method and process, and clear plans for the cost pools and cost drivers. These benefits meet the requirements of the regulator’s rule.