Sam Lovick has undertaken a number of projects advising the telecommunications sector on issues ranging from the costs and benefits of telephone renumbering to the value of additional sub-sea broadband cables. Most of the advice was in the context of regulatory arrangements imposed on Telstra by the ACCC.
Valuation: advice on the characteristics of the market for trans-Pacific sub-sea broadband transmission and the value of additional trans-Pacific cables, for REST.
Regulation: advice of the appropriate framework for telecommunications regulation to establish sustainable competition, for the Department of Communications and the Arts.
Regulation: advice on the efficacy of the telecommunications accounting separation regime in meeting regulatory objectives, for the Department of Communications and the Arts.
Expert testimony: statement to the ACCC on the National Broadband Company Special Access Undertaking on whether NBN’s proposed building block approach and other regulatory undertakings met the relevant statutory criteria.
Cost benefit analysis: cost-benefit analysis of the impact of changing the telephone numbering scheme, for Oftel (now Ofcom).
Analysis of the effect of regional telecommunications investment on regional development.
Design of mechanisms for efficient implementation of telecommunications universal service in rural Australi
Assessment of the impact of minimum quality of service standard on cost efficiency in the Australian telecommunications industry
Analysis of the scope of competition in international telecommunications in Australia.
Investigating market power in the mobiles market for Telstra in the context of seeking to escape formal price regulation.
Analysis of internetworking and termination charges in mobile telecommunications networks for Telstra
Comparison of network terminating and originating charges in Australia and New Zealand against international counterparts, for Telstra and TCNZ.
Preparation and provision of expert testimony concerning terminating charges as part of the appeal of T/O charges set by the ACCC.
Estimation of damages in the context of litigation over a contract dispute between Telstra and BT.
Analysis of the cost impediments resulting from different environments in which telecommunications operate, and any obligations to provide universal service.
Preparation of submissions on price control covering price regulated services covering a range of issues including benchmarking (total factor productivity, data envelopment analysis) and analysis of the state of competition is specified markets.
Transport
Sam has provided economic advice in a number of transport areas. He advised both airlines and airports on regulatory issues, including the case for more stringent regulation of airports in New Zealand. He has also worked on rail and ports.
Regulation: assessment of the prudent discount that on transmission use of system (TUOS) charges from Powerlink, for Aurizon Network.
Rail haulage: implication of road pricing for heavy haulage on economic outcomes in the rail sector, for Aurizon.
Regulation: advice on airport pricing and regulatory issues, for Air New Zealand.
Regulation: advice on valuation of land and other airport assets in the context of efficient pricing , for Air New Zealand.
Valuation: advice on the value of land surrounding existing port facilities under different scenarios for future demand at the port, for NQBP.
Regulation: estimation of the cost of capital using real option approaches and variation in revenue due to variation in underlying visitor numbers, for Perth International Airport.
Valuation: analysis of the strategic value of downstream integration of coal supply into ports, for BMA.
Valuation: estimation of the real option values associated with different port expansion opportunities in the face of operational and demand uncertainty, for AMCI.
Other
Sam has provided economic advice to a diverse range of businesses in addition to his main areas of expertise. These have included, among others, minerals and mining, gambling and racing, water and credit cards. A few examples are listed.
Valuation: estimation of the value of outstanding options for the purpose of an annual general meeting, for Pacific Environment.
Gambling: advice on the impact of and casino licenses in Queensland on the club sector in Queensland, for Clubs Queensland.
Mining: analysis and optimisation of overburden removal in the face of operational and market uncertainty given choices over self-provision and contract provision, for BMA.
Insurance: review of competitive market conditions in the Queensland compulsory third party insurance market, for MAIC.