pply A key question relates to the convergence that seems to characterise the future evolution of the four infrastructure sectors under consideration and its possible consequences. Such convergence is reflected first of all in the growing INFRASTRUCTURE TO 2030: TELECOM, LAND TRANSPORT, WATER AND ELECTRICITY - ISBN 92-64-02398-4 © OECD 2006 1. A CROSS-SECTORAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURES TO 2030 interdependence across infrastructure, in the sense that the service provided by one infrastructure is becoming an increasingly important input in the operation of other infrastructures. This is illustrated, for instance, by the greater reliance on telecoms expected in the future for the management of electricity transmission and distribution, as well as for land transport. But, as discussed earlier, the dependence also runs the other way, for instance the effective operation of the telecom infrastructure depends on the quality of the power provided by the electricity network. Similarly, failure of the electricity network can have dire consequences for the management of water facilities, and so on. Convergence is also reflected in the existence of economies of scope in the provision of infrastructure services, i.e. the fact that as technology evolves, it may become more efficient to produce jointly several infrastructure services. Within the telecoms sector, this evolution is illustrated by the growing popularity of "triple play" offers, where the operator provides at the same time telephony, Internet and access to broadcast services. In the future, the importance of economies of scope in the provision of infrastructure services may increase, leading for instance to the possible merger between the telecommunications network and the electricity network for long distance transmission as well as the distribution of electricity and telecommunications services in the local loop. Another example is water utilities, which may assume a growing role in the production of electricity. Convergence may hav