Universal service: Prosaic motives and great ideals

The recent proliferation of telecommunications services has turned the idea of universal service into a serious problem, because there is little consensus about what should constitute a “bare essential” package. Scholars addressing this problem have sought to develop a new definition for universal service which can provide a framework for formulating appropriate public policies. The analysis presented in this article suggests that this approach is a misdirected effort. In the United States, incremental processes are likely to have a greater chance of success than those based on a master plan.