Sector Reform
Helping To Bridge
The Digital Divide By Promoting ICT Development
Countries
that open their markets to competition and foreign investment experience
dramatically increased rates of information and communication technology (ICT)development,
directly bridging the digital divide. The BDT ’s Sector Reform Unit,
through its various programs provides an invaluable contribution to the
Member States as they prepare for and implement a new Policy and
Regulatory framework.
Direct Assistance,
Regulatory workshops, and seminars
ITU
provides direct assistance to countries revising their telecommunication
legislation and establishing independent regulators as the first step to
opening their markets to competition. In addition, ITU conducts regional
workshops and seminars in Africa, the Arab States, Asia, Latin America and
Eastern Europe on various issues related to sector reform.
Annual Regulatory Survey
The ITU has
been surveying its 189 Member States on the topic of sector reform since
1995.ITU was the first to document the exponential rise of separate
regulatory bodies from a mere 12 in 1990 to over 90 today. The annual ITU
survey has also tracked increased privatizations of incumbent operators
and the rise of competing operators worldwide. This year ’s survey
includes a special section to document the number of Internet Service
Providers operating in each country, the use of Internet telephony and IP
telephony and policies aimed at increasing public Internet access.
Telecommunication
Regulation Database And Website
Data culled
from the annual ITU regulatory surveys are maintained in the ITU
Telecommunications Regulation database and are made available to ITU
members, policy-makers and regulators to consult when developing new laws,
regulations and policies. Selected data is also made available to the
public on the ITU Telecommunication Regulation website Treg
on-line,
which is updated regularly by the Sector Reform Unit. Countries seeking to
draft new telecommunications legislation can easily log on to the Treg
website and in one place find links to all of the world ’s regulatory
authorities, their legislation and policy decrees. The website includes an
electronic reference library containing documents on the Internet and
convergence. The Unit recently added links to interconnection legislation
and policies from countries around the globe.
Publication of
Regulatory Guidebooks
The ITU
publishes an annual report, Trends in Telecommunication Reform,
highlighting the latest trends in sector reform. Trends in
Telecommunication Reform is based on data maintained in the ITU regulation
database and input from a wide range of experts in the field of sector
reform. This year ’s theme is interconnection. ITU selected this theme
because regulators have told us they consider establishing an effective
interconnection regime as the key component to fostering a competitive
environment. Trends in Telecommunication Reform 2000 will include a
chapter devoted to Internet and IP network interconnection issues. ITU has
also partnered with CITEL to publish Telecommunication Policies for the
Americas –the Blue Book and worked closely with AHCIET to publish
Universal Service in the Americas .These publications are key reference
tools for regulators and policy makers as they set about restructuring the
telecommunications sector.
Development
Symposium for Regulators.
Trends in
Telecommunication Reform 2000 will be resented on the occasion of the
first development symposium for regulators in November. Regulators from
around the world are expected to participate in this meeting – the first
ITU event just for regulators –that will include an in-depth workshop on
the regulatory impact of convergence and a session on strategies for
increasing Internet activity. The Symposium will also conduct a workshop
for countries that have not yet established a separate regulatory body.
Updated information about the Symposium can be found on the Treg website.
For further
information, please contact:
Honoré Vignon
Head, Sector Reform Unit
ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT)
Tel: +41 22 730 5902
Fax: +41 22 730 5484
E-mail:
honore.vignon@itu.int
|
