Trends in Telecommunication Reform 2010-11 Figure 3.5: Top 30 countries by number of Facebook users Source: Authors based on Nick Burcher, Facebook usage statistics - March 2010; Population Division of the Department of Economic and So-cial Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision 3.3.1 Targeted Ex Ante Regulation for the 3.3.1.1 Access networks Physical Network Layer Broadband access networks refer to the links be-tween the exchange or node and the end user, which Ex ante regulation is anticipatory in nature and di-rected may be provided via cable, fibre, xDSL or wireless tech-nologies( toward situations where market failures are ex-pected to occur.14 The objective of ex ante regulation in terrestrial and/or satellite). These links are generally referred to as the last-mile. The degree and extent of ex ante regulation of the access network, par-ticularly the ICT sector is to adopt measures to prevent socially undesirable outcomes or to direct market activity to-wards on the wireline side, has varied significantly desirable ends in light of the anticipated market failure.15 Accordingly, ex ante regulation should be nar-rowly- even among developed economies, ranging from a light-hand approach towards more extensive restric-tions tailored to address the specific instances of ex-pected market failure. At minimum, the following three and obligations. broad guidelines should be followed when considering the adoption of ex ante regulation: 1) regulation should reflect national conditions and goals; 2) regulation should first attempt to resolve market failure at the wholesale level; and 3) regulation should be periodical-ly Wireline networks Many countries, particularly in Europe, have adopted ex ante regulations focused on access net-works reviewed and phased-out when warranted (see to prevent large, incumbent providers from leve-raging market power in ways that harm consumers Box 3.2). through high prices and low quality of service. These regulations may include light-touch rules relating to sharing of passive infrastructure or more intensive obli-gations Over the next decade, ex ante regulation will con-tinue to be targeted at the physical infrastructure un-derlying broadband networks and may begin to address requiring active sharing, including sharing access node switches or unbundling the local loop.16 Such approaches have been implemented in both de-veloping challenges in other areas such as services and applica-tions. Consequently, regulations will likely focus to vary-ing degrees on access networks, backbone, backhaul and developed countries to encourage local and international connectivity. The following sections address the importance of each of these links in the development of broadband networks and recent regu-latory access and competition, including Denmark, France, Japan, Korea (Rep.), the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, South Africa and the United Kingdom.17 Although open access requirements began with legacy wireline networks (i.e., copper pairs), they are increasingly being applied to fibre broadband net-works. trends affectingeach one. 90 Chapter 3