RESOLUTION 11 (Rev.Doha, 2006)

Telecommunication/information and communication technology services
in rural, isolated and poorly served areas and indigenous communities

The World Telecommunication Development Conference (Doha, 2006),

recalling

Resolution 11 (Rev.Istanbul, 2002) of the World Telecommunication Development Conference,

considering

1. that all world telecommunication development conferences have reaffirmed the important and urgent need to provide access to basic telecommunication and information and communication technology (ICT) services for everyone, as well as the special programmes for the least developed countries (LDCs);
2. the outputs of the first and second phases of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in relation to the importance of ensuring telecommunication/ICT services in those regions,

noting

that a clear correlation between the availability of universal telecommunication/ICT services and economic and social development has been firmly established,

recognizing

1. that spectacular progress has been made in some developing countries through universal access to telecommunication/ICT services in rural, isolated and poorly served areas countrywide and in indigenous communities, thereby demonstrating the economic and technical feasibility of projects to provide this type of service;
2. that, in some areas and some developing countries, there is convincing evidence of the overall profitability of telecommunication/ICT services in rural, isolated and poorly served areas, and in indigenous communities,

recognizing further

1. that there are several state-of-the-art technologies which may help to facilitate the provision of telecommunication/ICT services, in particular those supported by broadband, to rural, isolated and poorly served areas and indigenous communities;
2. that access to telecommunication/ICT services in rural, isolated and poorly served areas and indigenous communities can only be achieved through judicious choice of appropriate technological options (terrestrial and satellite) allowing access to and maintenance of good quality and economical services,

resolves

1. to support the principles recommended by Study Group 2 through previous and current studies of Question 10 (Telecommunications in remote and rural areas) on the best means for providing access to telecommunication/ICT services in rural, isolated and poorly served areas and indigenous communities, in terms of universal access, rural telecommunication programmes, regulatory framework, financial resources and commercial approach;
2. to instruct Study Group 2 to take into account the aims of this resolution when studying the updated Question 10,

instructs the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau

1. to promote further the use of all appropriate means of telecommunication/ICT to facilitate effective development and implementation of telecommunication/ICT services in rural, isolated and poorly served areas and indigenous communities of the world through Programmes 2, 3 and 6;
2. to continue efforts to promote the optimum use by developing countries of all available new ICT services, including satellite.