Paschal Preston and Roderick Flynn
One of the reasons why the proponents of expanded universal service have not
made much headway is that they have not been able to provide a coherent justification
for the major resource and policy commitments it requires. The lack of consensus
on the very meaning of the term universal service has added to the confusion.
This paper argues that it is critically important to articulate a clear justification
for universal service before we discuss what it should include and how it should
be funded, the two main preoccupations of the current debate. It answers the
why question by drawing on the literature on consumption norms and citizenship
rights and thereby provides a cogent justification for universal service. A
clear articulation of the rationale for universal service should reduce some
of the confusion in the current debate and bring greater clarity to the ongoing
debate on this important public policy issue.