Recent News
July 2008
FIAR infrastructure forum
Former Florida Public Service Commissioner Isilio Arriaga, a PURC associate, will speak in Mexico City, Mexico July 25, 2008 at FIAR (Foro Iberoamericano de Agencias de Regulación), a forum on infrastructure regulation. His presentation will focus on the value of collaborative activities between regulatory agencies and universities. He is joined by PURC Assistant Director Araceli Castaneda who will update forum attendees on PURC research and recent programs in Latin America and other regions of the world. The purpose of the event is to promote discussion among water regulators and suppliers regarding ways to improve sector performance in the Americas.
June 2008
Research Grant
University of Florida Ph.D. candidate Sangwon Lee has been awarded a NET Institute Summer 2008 grant by the Networks, Electronic Commerce, and Telecommunications ("NET") Institute based on a proposal he submitted with PURC Research Associate Justin Brown, a UF assistant professor of telecommunication. The NET Institute funds a number of scientific research projects in the areas of network industries, including wired and wireless networks, virtual networks, electronic commerce, telecommunications, and the Internet. The research project is based on Lee's dissertation, "A Cross-Country Analysis of Ubiquitous Broadband Deployment: Examination of Adoption Factors."
"Getting What You Pay For: Analyzing the Net Neutrality Debate"
What happens if ISPs are allowed to charge Web sites for higher quality delivery of content? The amount and diversity of content grows. That's the conclusion of a recent study by PURC Director Dr. Mark Jamison and PURC Research Associate Dr. Janice Hauge. Dr. Jamison presented this paper at the International Telecommunications Society conference in Montreal, Canada. He'd also presented this paper in March at the European Communications Policy Research (EuroCPR) Conference in Seville, Spain.
24th PURC/World Bank International Training Program on Utility Regulation and Strategy in Gainesville, FL
In attendance for the 24th program were 99 participants from 35 nations.
May 2008
Water Allocations and Transfers Task Force
PURC Director of Water Studies Sanford Berg, a member of the Allocations and Transfers Task Force, hosted a meeting of the group at the University of Florida. 
The task force is one of several established by the Florida section of the American Water Works Association charged with creating a Florida 2030 Vision to address water issues in the state. The task force discussed options to promote environmental stewardship and efficient water use. A report by the group will be utilized by the Century Commission for a Sustainable Florida at the Florida Vision Water Summit in Orlando September 25-26, 2008.
Lifeline Presentation to Florida Public Service Commission
Low income households in Florida are quickly cutting the cord and adopting cellular phones as their primary means of communications, according to a recent PURC study. In a presentation to the Florida Public Service Commission in Tallahassee, PURC Director Mark Jamison noted that low income consumers are moving to wireless at a faster rate than higher income households. He added that low income households are adopting prepaid cellular phones because of their convenience and value for money. The presentation summarized recent PURC research on the Lifeline telephone discount program. The research found that the program's traditional focus on landline telecommunications is causing it to become out of date for eligible households. Not only is the program losing value for these consumers, but they also find it too hard to enroll, despite work by the Commission, telecommunications companies, and others to simplify and promote the program.
April 2008
Telecom Environment Management (TEM) 2008
Will broadband be an engine of economic growth? That depends on whether consumers and businesses adapt to the new realities of broadband and whether government policies encourage competition, according to PURC Director Mark Jamison in his keynote speech at TEM 2008 in Orlando, Florida. He explained to the convention of telecommunications environment management specialists that while information technologies and telecommunications have been engines of economic growth in both developed and developing countries, there is still much to be learned about the potential impacts of broadband. The first challenge is to ensure that broadband is available to and used by the customers who can use it for growing the economy. This points to the need for competitive markets and to ensuring that broadband regulation is under the authority of agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission so that agencies can work to discourage political interference in business.
Dr. Jamison also encouraged the attendees to look beyond the simple broadband penetration statistics often mentioned in the press, and instead to look into measures of the intensity of use of telecommunications applications, an area where the United States holds a sizable lead over other countries. The second challenge to ensuring that economies leverage broadband is to develop a culture that is willing to transform its economic systems and organizations to take advantage of what broadband has to offer. This process of creative destruction appears to have been key to the resurgence of productivity growth in the United States, a resurgence that was made possible by using information technologies in new and creative ways.
Dr. Sanford Berg Recognized for Teaching Excellence
InsideUF News Story
University of Florida economics professor Dr. Sanford Berg received three teaching awards in Spring 2008, including induction into the UF Academy of Distinguished Scholars. The Academy recognizes outstanding educators who have demonstrated sustained innovation and commitment 
to teaching throughout their careers. After completing his three-year term on the Provost's Advisory Board for Faculty Development, he will retain the title of Distinguished Teaching Scholar and continue to be a part of the Academy. In addition, Dr. Berg was selected from among 17 instructors in the UF Internet MBA Program to receive the Outstanding Faculty Award for 2008, and was voted by the traditional MBA 2008 class as the Core Teacher of the Year.
Sanford Berg, left, smiles with University of Florida President Bernie Machen at the recent awards banquet ceremony.
March 2008
Partnership with Brazilian Regulators
PURC is pleased to announce an activities partnership with the Brazilian Regulatory Agency, Associação Brasileira de Agências de Regulação (ABAR). The partnership was formed to facilitate activities and 
initiatives that strengthen regulatory capacity and support research on infrastructure performance.
Signing the actvities partnership document are seated from left, PURC Director of Water Studies Dr. Sanford Berg, ABAR President Álvaro Otávio Vieira Machado, PURC Director Mark Jamison and Guilherme Bahia, director of the Regulatory Agency of Prenambuco, ARPE.
PURC in Spain International Water Association Pi08 Conference
More than 100 water specialists at the International Water Association Pi08 Conference on Performance Assessment of Urban Infrastructure Services (March 12-14) were in attendance in Valencia for the presentation of "WaterUtility Benchmarking for Managerial and Policy Decisions: Lessons from Developing Countries," a paper by Dr. Sanford Berg. It has been published in the book, Performance Assessment of Urban Infrastructure Services: Drinking Water, Wastewater, and Solid Waste by IWA Publishing.
Dr. Sanford Berg, left, meets with Peter Stahre, a founder of the Scandanavian Six Cities Group (Water Utilities Benchmarking) during the International Water Association Pi08 Conference on Performance Assessment of Urban Infrastructure Services.
Universal Service Obligations and Regulatory Regimes: the Latin American Experience conference
The paper, "Water Utility Performance in Central America: The Political Economy of Coverage, Quality and Cost," was presented by Dr. Sanford Berg at the Center for International Relations and Development Studies (CIDOB) in Barcelona. The 
center hosted the conference March 6-7. (CIDOB will publish a book based on the presentations that is expected to generate a fruitful dialogue on the issues associated with defining and implementing policies related to access to infrastructure services.)
Dr. Sanford Berg stands with conference organizer Dr. Jacint Jordana.
Search for the Publications
PURC in Bulgaria
Water professionals from the Bulgarian State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission learned about building the block tariff, vulnerable customer protections, service quality indicators, international best practice, and information requirements
for benchmarking during workshop sessions in Sofia taught by Dr. Sanford Berg. He participated as part of PURC's collaboration with law firm Pierce Atwood. Its training workshops were designed to review the specific legal and regulatory framework in Bulgaria, and to build consensus around proposed revisions.
Dr. Sanford Berg, standing third from right, gathers with Elizabeth Butler, center, of Pierce Atwood and regulatory professionals who participated in the training workshop.
Find More Presentations on the Faculty Page
Bandwidth-Driven Growth: Policy Essentials for Next Generation Development
This seminar, delivered by PURC Director Mark Jamison in Lisbon, Portugal and sponsored by the Portugal telecommunications regulator ANACOM, examined how telecommunications, and broadband in particular, affect economic growth and the regulatory policies that promote this development. The presentation began by describing how telecommunications is essential for developing a nation, drawing lessons from research and from practical experience. Empirical research demonstrates that telecom investment is a significant engine for economic growth and that the effective application of telecommunications and ICT generally improves productivity. But do these lessons apply to broadband? Dr. Jamison explained how the similarities between broadband and traditional telecommunications lead to the conclusion that competition and strong regulatory institutions are critical to the economical development of broadband telecommunications. However, there are some differences. Recent research highlights the importance of
competition between broadband technologies; such intermodal competition was not particularly important in traditional telecommunications. Also, unbundling of local lines is having a positive impact on the development of broadband competition; this wasn't necessarily the case for fixed line voice services. Finally, recent research is indicating that the decision to purchase broadband is complex from a consumer perspective, so bundling and pricing options may be discouraging broadband adoption by average consumers.
Basic Course on Regulatory Economics for Telecommunications for ANACOM, Portugal
The basics of economic issues in telecommunications regulation were the focus of this workshop for approximately 35 regulatory professionals at ANACOM, the telecommunications regulatory agency for Portugal.
The Gator Nation
We welcome you to The Gator Nation! Whlle the University of Florida is located in Gainesville, The Gator Nation is everywhere, all over the world. In this section, we recognize our colleagues on their recent achievements and promotions.
2007
We welcome Fulbright Visiting Scholar Dr. Iram Khan from Pakistan. While at PURC, he plans to study utility regulation, write research papers and develop e-learning modules for the Body of Knowledge on Infrastructure Regulation.
Congratulations to PURC Research Associate Dr. Hamilton Silva who received an award in economic regulation for his paper, "Cost Efficiency in Periodic Tariff Reviews: The Reference Utility Approach and the Role of Interest Groups," from the Secretaria de Acompanhamento Economico (SEAE) of Brazil's Ministry of the Economy.
Congratulations to Mohamadou A. Saibou in Dakar, Senegal on his new position as general director of ESMT, a Centre of Excellence of the International Telecommunication Union. He is a graduate of the 22nd PURC/World Bank International Training Program in June.
Best wishes to Man Ho Au, who retired as Director-General of the Office of the Telecommunications Authority of Hong Kong on July 1. He attended the second delivery of the PURC/World Bank International Training Program, and served as a speaker at several subsequent programs.
Congratulations to Golda Sowah of the National Communications Authority in Ghana and a graduate of the June 2007 PURC/World Bank International Training Program. She was promoted to senior manager July 1.
Congratulations to Roberto Young, who replaces Gilbert Canton as Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission in Belize. Mr. Young is a graduate of the June 2003 PURC/World Bank International Training Program.
Congratulations to Dr. Canton in his new post as CEO of Belize Natural Energy. He is a graduate of the June 1999 PURC/World Bank International Training Program, as well as the first PURC/OOCUR Advanced Course in July 2006.
Mufor Atanga, Executive Secretary of the African Forum for Utility Regulators (AFUR), and a graduate of the June 2006 PURC/World Bank International Training Program, announces the addition of Mr. Symerre Grey-Johnson to the AFUR team as Advisor for Communications and Partnerships. Mr. Grey-Johnson is a graduate of the 21st PURC/World Bank International Training Program in January. Congratulations!
