The Croatian telecommunications way toward the communications era

Previous years have brought interesting developments in the field of telecommunications all over the world. Countries in transition have experienced it in their own way. Croatia is an interesting example of such a country. After gaining independence in 1991 and setting course toward the open market economy, the development of telecommunications was particularly fast. Related legislative changes as well as changes in the ownership structure of Croatian telecom will surely have a significant impact on the future development of telecommunications in Croatia, which will be based on our own experiences as well as the experiences of other countries in transition and developed countries. The planning methodology will include the techno-economic evaluation of minimum-risk introductory routes for new services as defined within the European Union projects. An overview of the development of Croatian telecommunications during the '90s as well as plans for future development are presented. A comparison with other countries in development as well as with developed countries is given, too. A survey of the development of telecommunications within the County of Split and Dalmatia, including economic aspects, is given. An overview of research and development activities is also given.