電信執照發放及頻率收費之研究

Abstract

我國自1997年起開徵無線電頻率使用費。惟電信技術不斷創新進步，無線電服務及功能日新月異。因此，現行的無線電頻率使用費制度及收費標準有必要重新檢討，以符合社會需要，達到電波有效利用的目標。本研究蒐集比較國外電信主管機關制訂的頻率收費原則、結構與標準，包括美國、加拿大、澳洲、日本、韓國、新加坡、英國、法國、德國、以色列及瑞典十一個國家。歸納分析後發現，各國收費制度考慮的因素包括頻寬、發射功率、人口稠密度、頻率高低、獨佔/共享、使用時間、收/發類別、應用類別、頻帶擁擠程度、特殊用途減免十項。其中，使用頻寬、發射功率及頻率高低是各國主要的考慮因素。另外，本研究也歸納各國頻率收費有朝向反映頻譜市場經濟價值之趨勢。本研究亦參考我國頻率使用者對於現有收費制度之建議，並參酌國外收費制度之優點，及考量我國無線電波頻率的使用現況與未來發展電信事業之需要，針對我國無線電頻率使用費結構提出改進之建議。 我國3G頻率執照採取何種發放方式，對於政府稅收、通信技術之提昇、電信服務應用之發展及資本市場資金之排擠效應都有深遠的影響。3G市場未來走向，實際上受到太多變數及不確定性因子的影響。本文以國外發放3G執照之各種方式及金額作為參考指標，模擬國內三種反映高度、中度及低度3G市場成長的情境，並假設未來3G營運的諸多變數，利用投資報酬率的分析方法針對3G執照各種發放方式下，政府規定的相關3G執照費率以及競標金額，分別估計政府收入與業者獲利之影響。本文提供模式假設之變數以及在不同情境下估算之金額，可供電信總局未來在擬訂執照發放方式與執行細節時之參考，可模擬不同競標金底價或執照費對政府與業者之影響；業者亦可以利用此模式，估算在財務可行的範圍內適宜參與競標金額之上限。 我國3G頻率執照採取之發放方式，將對於政府之稅收、通信技術之提昇、電信服務應用之發展及資本市場資金之排擠效應都有深遠的影響。為了探討在制定3G執照發放政策時應如何達到滿足政府目標、挑選出最適當經營者目標及滿足消費者需求目標三個多目標構面，本研究在每一目標構面下各建立四項評量準則，針對四種3G執照發放策略建立多目標多評準之研究架構，經由問卷調查在電信相關領域之產、官、學、研學者專家，針對每種3G頻率執照發放策略進行效用偏好調查，以有系統地整理呈現許多國內各電信領域專家對3G頻率執照發放策略之意見。本研究採用模糊多層級多評準決策法( Fuzzy MCDM, Multi-Criteria Decision Making)，針對我國3G頻率執照之發放方式，進行實證研究分析，以供我國決策機關施政之參考。研究結果顯示「評審制」滿足多目標之效用最高，其次為「固定執照費評審制」及「評審競標制」，效用最低者為「多回合競標制」。

Radio frequency users in Taiwan have incurred frequency usage charges since 1997. Due to the rapid progress in radio technologies, many innovative wireless services have been introduced to modern commercial and consumer markets. The rate table for radio frequency usage charges needs to be revised in order to better meet society’s needs for radio services, and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of radio spectrum utilization. This research studied the radio frequency usage charging systems of some selected countries, including the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, UK, France, Germany, Israel, and Sweden. A survey of local frequency users about their complaints and expectations was also conducted. With the future frequency needs of radio technologies and the trends of broadband wireless services in mind, a revised frequency usage charge system is proposed. The release of third-generation (3G) mobile communications licenses signals the beginning of a new telecommunications era and the birth of new players in a potentially enormous market. The 3G licensing mechanism a country selects will impact both the income to the government as well as the competitiveness and profitability of 3G operators. Possible licensing policies include Auction, Beauty Contest, Tender, and Beauty Contest with Fixed License Fee. Inevitably, unknown variables and uncertain factors will affect future 3G markets. This research hypothesizes three 3G-market-growth scenarios for Taiwan: the optimistic scenario of high growth, the pessimistic scenario of low growth, and the middle-ground scenario of normal growth. Hypothetical licensing fees/bidding prices are estimated by taking averages out of the outcomes from countries that have already awarded 3G licenses. Investment return indicators of Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) are calculated from the perspectives of both the government and the 3G operators for each of the four licensing mechanisms. Scenario analysis model is used to study the financial impacts of the licensing fees/bidding prices of alternative 3G licensing policies on government income as well as on the profitability of 3G licensees. The results could serve as references to government regulators in term of setting up reasonable 3G licensing fees/lower bounds of bidding prices. As to 3G license contenders, this model can be used to assess the upper bound of financially feasible bidding prices. Alternative licensing policies for third-generation mobile communications services in Taiwan will have a profound impact on the government’s fiscal income, the advancement of local telecommunications technologies and services, as well as the potential return of investment for 3G licensees. Evaluation criteria should include satisfying multi-objectives, i.e. the government’s objectives, the consumers’ objectives, and the objective of awarding the licenses to capable operators. Under each of the three first-tier objectives, four second-tier sub-objectives are used to assess to what extent the first-tier objectives are satisfied. Scholars and experts in the Taiwan telecommunications arena were surveyed about their preferences among pairs of the above objectives. Additionally, they were also asked to estimate the utility of each one of the objectives achievable by alternative licensing policies. Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision Making methodology was then used to evaluate four 3G licensing policies in Taiwan, including: Auction, Beauty-Contest, Tender, and Beauty-Contest with Fixed License Fee. The survey results showed that the Beauty-Contest policy has the highest utility score in satisfying the multiple-objectives while the Auction policy comes up the last.