åtkomstprissättning

Access pricing, known in Swedish as åtkomstprissättning, refers to the economic strategies employed to determine the cost of accessing or utilizing a particular resource or service. This concept is particularly relevant in markets where a dominant firm controls essential infrastructure or a key input that other businesses need to compete. The core idea is to ensure that competitors can access these necessary resources at a fair price, thereby promoting competition and preventing monopolistic abuses.

There are various approaches to calculating access prices. One common method is the Long-Run Average Incremental Cost (LRIC) principle. This involves calculating the total cost of providing the service or resource, including both fixed and variable costs, and spreading it over the expected volume of usage. The aim is to cover all the costs incurred by the provider while still allowing for a reasonable profit, without creating an insurmountable barrier for competitors.

Another consideration in access pricing is the concept of "potential competition." The price should be set low enough that it is feasible for a new entrant to enter the market and compete effectively. If the access price is too high, it effectively locks out potential competitors, allowing the incumbent firm to maintain its market power. Regulatory bodies often oversee access pricing to ensure fairness and to foster a more competitive market environment. This is especially important in industries like telecommunications, energy, and transportation where infrastructure is often a natural monopoly.