Journal of Digital Convergence (디지털융복합연구)

The Society of Digital Policy and Management (한국디지털정책학회)
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High-speed internet service as Universal service

초고속 인터넷서비스의 보편적 서비스 지정의 필요성: 융합시대 초고속 인터넷서비스의 확산 방안에 대한 모색

  • Jung, Nak-won (School of Media and Communication at Seoul Women's University) ;
  • Kim, Sung-Wook (School of Media and Communication at Seoul Women's University)
  • 정낙원 (서울여자대학교 언론영상학부) ;
  • 김성욱 (서울여자대학교 언론영상학부)
  • Received : 2016.11.28
  • Accepted : 2017.02.20
  • Published : 2017.02.28
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Abstract

The primary purpose of this study is to present the fact that high-speed internet service should be designated as universal service because it becomes an indispensible and crucial service in the modern information society but free market system fails to implement universal service of high-speed internet service. To do so, it theoretically analyses previous works related to the issue of high-speed internet service and universal service in a critical point of view and investigates the current situation that high-speed internet service is not designated as universal service. In conclusion, this paper suggests that high-speed internet service should be included in the scope of universal service, in terms of infrastructure and minimum transmission speed, for the development of democracy and the information society.

지난 몇 년간 국내에서는 초고속 인터넷서비스를 보편적 서비스로 지정하는 문제에 대한 연구가 그다지 활발하지 못했다. 이는 그동안 정부가 초고속 인터넷서비스를 보편적 서비스로 제공하기 위해 다양한 정책을 실시함에 따라 초고속 인터넷서비스를 굳이 보편적 서비스의 역무 범위에 포함시켜야할 필요성이 크게 부각되지 않았고 지난 2015년 말 기준으로 가입자가 2000만 명을 넘어서는 등 지난 몇 년간 초고속 인터넷서비스의 가입자가 빠른 속도로 증가하면서 초고속 인터넷서비스의 보편적 서비스 지정을 둘러싼 문제에 대한 관심이 크게 줄었기 때문이다. 하지만 초고속 인터넷서비스를 보편적 서비스로 지정하는 문제와 보편적 서비스로 제공되어야 할 초고속 인터넷서비스의 내용과 대상을 명확히 하는 일은 여전히 중요한 과제이다. 이는 초고속 인터넷서비스의 보편적 서비스 지정여부와 보편적 서비스로 제공되어야 할 내용과 대상이 어떻게 정해지느냐에 따라 국민들이 초고속 인터넷서비스를 제공받을 권리 유무와 그 권리의 대상과 범위가 달라질 뿐만 아니라 정부의 통신정책에도 적지 않은 영향을 미치기 때문이다. 이 같은 문제인식을 바탕으로 본 논문은 국내외 사례와 기존 이론들에 대한 검토 및 분석 작업을 통해 초고속 인터넷서비스의 보편적 서비스 지정의 필요성과 함께 초고속 인터넷서비스가 보편적 서비스로 지정될 경우 포함되어야 할 내용과 범주 등을 제시했다.

Keywords

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