隨著近年來電信自由化全球化及標準化之潮流，各國爭相構建完善的電信基礎建設，而電信基礎建設係最早由電話線路之鋪設，其後由於電腦的發明，以電話線傳輸數位化資料，構成了網際網路的興起，架設起傳輸語音、數據及多媒體的完整電信建設網路，而一國經濟發展的過程中，電信基礎建設扮演的角色為何是本文探討的重心。

在理論的文獻方面，一般咸認知基礎建設對經濟成長的重要性。至於電信基礎建設和經濟發展的實證文獻則早於1960年代即展開，然而，實證文獻就跨國分析的研究年代已較為久遠，而且電信基礎建設於十多年來新興科技（如網際網路等）出現後扮演何種角色則未有人重行評估；此外，雖然Cronin et al. (1991, 1993)曾研究電信建設和電信投資對生產力和GNP的因果分析，惟其均以美國為研究對象，而亞洲國家的情形如何卻鮮少人分析；再者，電信建設相對於其他基礎建設如能源、道路及教育，對亞洲國家經濟發展的重要性，雖為眾所關心之議題，文獻卻付之闕如，因此本文將以台灣、日本、韓國、新加坡、香港及中國大陸為主要的研究對象。

電信網路架構大致分為骨幹網路、區幹網路及接取網路三部份，本文將以電話用戶的固定電話線路（接取網路）代表電信基礎建設之發展情形，以每人GDP代表經濟發展，分為兩個實證模型：Granger causality因果分析及結合跨區的時間序列迴歸分析。在Granger causality因果分析上，針對日本、亞洲四小龍及中國大陸等六個區域研究電信建設帶動經濟發展或是經濟發展帶動電信建設，結果發現由於電信建設本身的特性、國家對電信政策推動的態度、各國發展的程度、經濟的結構及自由化的進程不同，以致於此六個區域獲致不同的結論；而在將各區域的時間序列資料整合的結果上，不論從每人或整體取得的電信資源去分析，均和經濟發展有顯著的關係，且利用落後一期的資料證明跨區的電信建設可帶動經濟發展。

Telecommunication infrastructure has been an important public construction since the telephone was invented in 1874. Every country now is constructing telecommunication network with expedition especially after the popularization of the Internet. Therefore, we would like to discuss the role of telecommunication infrastructure in the process of a country's economic development.

In general, it is proved theoretically that public capital accumulation such as infrastructure can contribute to a country's economic growth. As to telecommunication infrastructure, an empirical paper was first presented in 1960s. Although there were some cross-nation empirical papers afterwards, few were discussed after the Internet began to popularize. In addition, for those empirical models introduced recently, they limit the focus on the western countries. Hence, we study the relationship between telecommunication infrastructure and economic development specifically in these Asian regions: Japan, the four Asian Dragons, and the Mainland China.

We use fixed telephone lines and GDP per capita to stand for telecommunication infrastructure and economic development, respectively. And two empirical models are adopted: the Granger causality test and the pooling cross-section and time series data. In the former model, we study a two-way causal relationship between telecommunication infrastructure and economic development in each region(Japan, the four Asian Dragons, and the Mainland China). And we find the conclusion is inconclusive: in some regions, telecommunication infrastructure at any point in time is a reliable predictor (cause) of economic development at a later point in time; while in other regions, economic development at any point in time is a reliable predictor (cause) of telecommunication infrastructure at a later point in time. In the latter model, we use fixed telephone lines, energy consumption, road density and central government education expenditure to stand for different kinds of infrastructures. After pooling the cross- ectional and time series data (Japan and the four Asian Dragons, 1987 to 1998), we find that in all the cases, telecommunication infrastructure has positive influence on economic development. Even in the one lag interval case, telecommunication infrastructure can still make contribution to economic development, which is consistent with the former Granger Causality model in some regions.