Mr. Zoellick's office said today that Mexico still had not dismantled its "anticompetitive cross-border telecommunications regime," even though it had pledged to do so.
When drafted in 1988, the ITU's regulations covering cross-border telecommunications contained no reference to the internet which, at the time, was a rudimentary set of network interconnections used by researchers in America, where the technology was invented.
In October, European lawmakers created a cross-border E.U. telecommunications regulator, the Body of European Regulators of Telecommunications, to oversee telecom law in the 27 E.U. markets.
In October, lawmakers created a cross-border European Union telecommunications regulator to oversee telecom law in the 27 markets in the bloc.
European antitrust officials would most likely give quick approval to any prospective deals, despite a track record of blocking cross-border deals in telecommunications, according to a number of analysts.
Cross-border takeovers involving former telecommunications monopolies in Western Europe have been unusual, though increased competition in domestic markets has put pressure on these companies to consider such combinations.
Similarly, the fall in the cost of cross-border transportation and international cost of telecommunications, which had contributed so much to trade, would also have met its limit.
Continued growth, healthy balance sheets and steady cash inflows helped Indian software concerns make bold cross-border acquisitions of software, auto components, drugs, telecommunications and other businesses.
With the number of cross-border mergers on the rise in industries like entertainment, finance, telecommunications and energy, many executives are finding that they are having to travel back and forth to Europe regularly.
While this deal is dramatic because of its cross-border aspect, it may be the start of a trend in the downtrodden telecommunications industry.
The meeting was convened by the I.T.U., whose members include more than 190 countries and hundreds of telecommunications and technology companies, to update an international telecommunications treaty that deals with technical matters like how to connect cross-border calls.
