TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN EASTERN GERMANY - A SUCCESS STORY OF EAST WEST INTEGRATION

The process of growing together in East and West Germany has not occur red as quickly as many initially believed. Telecommunications is an ex ception. Starting with a review of economic developments in the new fe deral states, this paper presents the political background of the tele communication sector, the history of the merger of DBP Telekom and Deu tsche Post and the development of telecommunications infrastructure. T he paper gives an overview of telecommunications in the GDR, DBP Telek om's investment programme and the contribution of private competitors, and analyses the indirect effects of infrastructure development. The build-up of telecommunications infrastructure in the new federal state s is in every respect an important contribution to economic developmen t and to East-West integration.