The impact of Ecuador's telecommunications regulatory environment on the IP telephony market

With this study, the researchers contribute to the literature by investigating how Ecuador's telecommunications policy structure affects the IP telephony industry in the country.; In this study, a multiple-case-study was conducted to find out: (1) What are the main factors affecting the operators' investment enthusiasms in the IP telephony industry, (2) How do the current or potential IP telephony operators assess Ecuador's telecom regulatory system regarding the IP telephony market, (3) Regarding the development of IP telephony, what changes in telecom regulations of Ecuador do the operators expect, (if any) from the policy-makers?; The paper is organized into four sections: (1) an introduction/background information, (2) the methodology of the research study, (3) findings from data analysis, (4) recommendations for Ecuador's regulators and suggestions for further study.; The primary hypothesis of this study is that Ecuador's current telecom policy structure is a significant factor that is negatively influencing the development of IP telephony market in the country.