The European Commission has sent requests for information to twenty EU Member States which have not yet notified measures to implement in full new EU telecoms rules into national law. The deadline set by the European Parliament and the EU's Council of Ministers for implementing the new rules was 25th May 2011. The requests for information take the form of letters of formal notice under EU infringement procedures. The new rules give businesses and consumers new rights regarding phones, mobile services and Internet access. These include the right for customers to switch telecoms operators in just one day without changing their phone number, the right to more clarity about the services customers are offered and better protection of personal data online. New oversight powers for the European Commission and regulatory powers for the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) will create more regulatory certainty and help telecoms operators to grow in a single, pan-European telecoms market (see IP/11/622 MEMO/11/319, MEMO/11/320 and MEMO/11/321). Swift and consistent implementation of these rules is a priority of the Digital Agenda for Europe (see IP/10/581, MEMO/10/199 and MEMO/10/200). However, while legislative processes are ongoing in all EU Member States and a majority of them have informed the Commission of some implementation measures, only seven Member States (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Malta, Sweden and the UK) have notified the Commission that they have implemented the new rules in full. The twenty other Member States (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain) are due to reply to the 'letters of formal notice' within two months. If they fail to reply or if it is not satisfied with the answer, the Commission can send the Member States concerned a formal request to implement the legislation (in the form of a 'reasoned opinion' under EU infringement procedures), and ultimately refer them to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Digital Agenda website

Neelie Kroes' website

Source: Europa

WIPO’s top copyright negotiating body will recommend to the September session of the General Assembly to resume a Diplomatic Conference on the Protection of Audiovisual Performances after agreement on the last outstanding issue relating to the transfer of rights. The convening of a diplomatic conference signals entry into the final phase of treaty negotiations, with the objective of concluding a treaty that would shore up the rights of performers in their audiovisual performances. Progress was also made in talks relating to the protection of broadcasting organizations with agreement on a work plan aimed at advancing negotiations on an international instrument. Efforts to update the rights of broadcasters, which are currently dealt with by the 1961 Rome Convention, have grown in momentum over the past years in light of the advent of radically new types of content distribution over the Internet and growing signal piracy problems around the world. These triggered international discussions to review and update existing international standards and to ensure an appropriate balance between the different interests of all stakeholders and those of the general public.

See Press Release
Source: WIPO

ICANN's Board of Directors has approved a plan to usher in one of the biggest changes ever to the Internet's Domain Name System. The Board vote was 13 approving, 1 opposed, and 2 abstaining. During a special meeting, the Board approved a plan to dramatically increase the number of Internet domain name endings -- called generic top-level domains (gTLDs) -- from the current 22, which includes such familiar domains as .com, .org and .net. "ICANN has opened the Internet's naming system to unleash the global human imagination. Today's decision respects the rights of groups to create new Top Level Domains in any language or script. We hope this allows the domain name system to better serve all of mankind," said Rod Beckstrom, President and Chief Executive Officer of ICANN. New gTLDs will change the way people find information on the Internet and how businesses plan and structure their online presence. Internet address names will be able to end with almost any word in any language, offering organizations around the world the opportunity to market their brand, products, community or cause in new and innovative ways. "Today's decision will usher in a new Internet age," said Peter Dengate Thrush, Chairman of ICANN's Board of Directors. "We have provided a platform for the next generation of creativity and inspiration." The decision to proceed with the gTLD program follows many years of discussion, debate and deliberation with the Internet community, business groups and governments. The Applicant Guidebook, a rulebook explaining how to apply for a new gTLD, went through seven significant revisions to incorporate more than 1,000 comments from the public. Strong efforts were made to address the concerns of all interested parties, and to ensure that the security, stability and resiliency of the Internet are not compromised. ICANN will soon begin a global campaign to tell the world about this dramatic change in Internet names and to raise awareness of the opportunities afforded by new gTLDs. Applications for new gTLDs will be accepted from 12 January 2012 to 12 April 2012.

See Press Release
Source: ICANN

According to CRTC's Chairman,  Konrad von Finckenstein, in a digital world, regulatory change is necessary. He said: "We need new legislation and a new institutional framework. We cannot make the most of new opportunities when we are limited by the practices and the structures of the past".

Read the speech
Source: CRTC

Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)  launched an online consultation asking Canadians to comment on the way large cable and telephone companies charge independent Internet service providers (ISPs) for the use of their networks.  CRTC is seeking the views of Canadians on the following questions:

• How do you think large cable and telephone companies should charge independent ISPs for the use of their networks? 
• What kind of wholesale pricing plans encourage innovative products and services that benefit consumers?
• What kind of wholesale pricing plans encourage network investment by large companies and independent ISPs?
• What kind of wholesale pricing plans would be most beneficial for consumers?

See Press Release
Source: CRTC

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)  launched, of its own initiative, a proceeding to review its decisions on billing practices that would have applied to the residential customers of Small Internet service providers (Small ISPs).  “The great concern expressed by Canadians over this issue is telling of how much the Internet has become an integral part of their lives,” said Konrad von Finckenstein, Q.C., Chairman of the CRTC.

 “Our approach is based on two fundamental principles: cas a general rule, ordinary consumers served by Small ISPs should not have to fund the bandwidth used by the heaviest residential Internet consumers, and it is in the best interest of consumers that Small ISPs, which offer competitive alternatives to the Large Distributors, should continue to do so.

See Press Release

Source: CRTC

OFCOM announced a consultation that sets out  proposals for the largest ever single award in the UK, of internationally harmonised mobile spectrum - the 800MHz and 2.6GHz bands. It expects this spectrum to be used to deliver the next generation of mobile broadband services, using fourth generation (4G) mobile technologies such as LTE and WiMAX. These mobile broadband services might have speeds approaching today's fixed broadband services, with coverage significantly better than today's 3G coverage instead approaching today's 2G (voice) coverage.

See Press Release
Source: OFCOM

The CRTC initiates a public proceeding to review its policies for direct-to-home (DTH) satellite distribution. As part of this proceeding, the CRTC will hold a hearing commencing on 16 November 2010. In this document, the Commission invites comments and proposals on its regulatory framework for DTH satellite distribution, particularly with respect to: the conventional television stations that DTH distributors are required to offer to their subscribers; and the manner in which DTH distributors perform simultaneous substitution. The deadline for filing written comments is 8 September 2010.

See Press Release
Source: CRTC

Neelie Kroes Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Digital Agenda European stated that Cloud Computing Strategy needs to aim high and stress that at the edge of a computing era of unprecedented flexibility and economies of scale. That is the promise of the cloud: the chance to turn IT provision into a real utility. And what a big promise that is, given the track record of computing in delivering better and better value. While the opportunities are clear, there is much to be done to ensure that we will take them up and make the best use of them. As with the exploitation of any strategic resource, cloud computing too requires a strategy. It is going to take partnership between industry and government, and European leadership, to ensure that Europe is not merely open or just friendly to cloud providers, but that there is a European effort to actively create the best environment for all parties.

See Press Release 
Source: Europe's Information Society

On 8 September 2010 the Polish Sejm passed some amendments to the Polish Telecommunications Act to  address significant market position and focus on the conditions of their telecommunications activity. The changes aim to improve the competition on the market as well as aid the implementation of new telecommunications infrastructure. Under the new act, telecoms with a significant market position will be authorised to propose the conditions of their telecommunications activity to the President of the Office of Electronic Communication ("UKE") and negotiate these conditions with UKE. During the procedure, UKE will consider whether the proposition will have a positive impact on the competition on the market and whether it improves the quality of services for end users.

See Article
Source: Mondaq IT & Telecoms

The Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR) in Jamaica and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which will see both organisations exchanging information and expertise. The MOU was signed at the offices of the OUR in Kingston on Monday November 8. Under the terms of the MOU, both parties will be engaged in regulatory study tours and internships as well as sharing regulatory best practices and the provision of technical assistance.

See Press Release
Source: Jamaican Office of Utilities Regulation

Ofcom today published research which shows that nearly half (45%) of consumers with broadband or a landline think that switching communications provider is too much hassle. Ofcom is considering ways to make the switching processes quicker and easier across communications services, initially focusing on broadband and landlines, to improve consumers’ experience and to make competition more effective. Ofcom committed to review switching processes in its latest Annual Plan. In addition, a number of broadband and landline providers, as well as consumer groups, have expressed the view that Ofcom should consider these issues.

See Press Release
Source: OFCOM

Arcep has just published on its website a press conference on 3G, 4G frequencies, consumers and net neutrality. You can listen to the speech and the question period.

See Press release
Source: ARCEP

Director General of the National Telecommunications Corporation (NTC), Dr. Kamel Ezzaddin Amin affirmed Sudan's intention to support and develop the Arab Telecommunications Regulators Network. Dr. Amin appreciated the efforts exerted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during its presidency of the Arab Telecommunications Regulators Network last year, referring to the tangible achievements in various fields of communications. It is to be noted that Sudan took over the Presidency of the Arab Telecommunications Regulators' network from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

See article
Source: Sudan Vision Daily

Bermuda has turned its back on plans to push a new telecoms reform bill through the House of Assembly before the summer recess. Michael Scott, the country’s Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and E-Commerce, recently said he would table the Regulatory Authority Act and the Electronic Communications Act bills before the summer recess. The decision is welcome news to the likes of KeyTech Ltd which had called for a delay to allow discussion on what the reform was meant to achieve.

See article
Source: Telegeography

A consultation on key questions arising from the issue of net neutrality has been launched by the European Commission. It covers such issues as whether internet providers should be allowed to adopt certain traffic management practices, prioritising one kind of internet traffic over another, whether such traffic management practices may create problems and have unfair effects for users, whether the level of competition between different internet service providers and the transparency requirements of the new telecom framework may be sufficient to avoid potential problems by allowing consumers' choice and whether the EU needs to act further to ensure fairness in the internet market, or whether industry should take the lead. European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, announced in April 2010 her intention to launch this consultation in order to take forward Europe's net neutrality debate. The consultation will feed into a Commission report on net neutrality, which should be presented by the end of this year. All interested parties – service and content providers, consumers, businesses and researchers – are invited to respond to the consultation by 30 September 2010. An open and neutral internet underpins many of the targets set out in the Digital Agenda for Europe.

See Press Release
Source: Europa

European Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes will present the Digital Agenda for Europe, the first flagship initiative under the EU2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, to EU Telecoms Ministers at the EU's Council of Transport Telecommunications and Energy Ministers in Brussels on 31st May. The Digital Agenda for Europe (see IP/10/581, MEMO/10/199, MEMO/10/200) proposes ways to boost job creation, promote economic prosperity and improve the daily lives of EU citizens and businesses via the wider and smarter use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Neelie Kroes will invite Ministers to join the European Parliament and the Commission in working to implement the Digital Agenda, and the Council is due to adopt conclusions welcoming the Digital Agenda. Vice-President Kroes is also due to exchange views with Ministers on promoting an EU Code of Online Rights to boost consumer trust and the take-up of digital services and will present the European Digital Competitiveness Report (see IP/10/571) and the 15th Progress Report on the Single European Electronic Communications Market (see IP/10/602). In the margins of the Council, EU ministers are also due to agree on the seat of the new Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) (see SPEECH/10/15).

See Press Release

Source: Europa

The Government of Canada  unveiled a national consultation aimed at building consensus among governments, the private sector, academia and the Canadian public in developing a digital economy strategy for Canada. The commitment to developing the strategy was outlined in both the government’s Speech from the Throne and Budget 2010 and is aimed at positioning Canada for leadership in the global digital economy.

See Press Release

Speech: Canada 3.0 Conference

Source: Industry Canada

 ITU and UNESCO  announced the establishment of a top level Broadband Commission for Digital Development which will define strategies for accelerating broadband rollout worldwide and examine applications that could see broadband networks improve the delivery of a huge range of social services, from healthcare to education, environmental management, safety and much more.

See Press Release

Source: ITU

All three reports on the reform have been voted  by the Parliament with overwhelming majorities: 565 votes in favour of the establishment of the new European Telecoms Body BEREC, 493 votes in favour of the new Directives on e-Privacy and Universal Service and 605 votes in favour of a modern set of rules for ensuring efficient management of radio spectrum and helping to remove regulatory obstacles and inconsistencies in the single telecoms market. The Parliament also voted with 578 votes for the reform of the GSM Directive, which would allow industry savings of up to EUR 1.6 billion. Now the ball is in the court of the Council of Telecoms Ministers to decide whether or not to accept this package of reforms. There was one amendment voted by the Parliament today that was not included in the initial deal agreed between the three EU institutions. This amendment is an important restatement of the fundamental rights of EU citizens. For many, it is of very high symbolic and political value. I call on the Council of Ministers to assess the situation very carefully, also in the light of the importance of the telecoms reform for the sector and for the recovery of our European economy. The Telecoms Council on 12 June should be used for a political discussion on whether agreement on the package is still possible or whether the discussion will have to start again with the new European Parliament in autumn. I will work closely with the Czech Presidency to help ensuring that an agreement on this important reform can still be found in the next weeks."

See press release

Source: Europa

Following strategic meeting with Daniel Pataki, Head of the Hungarian Regulatory Authority and Chairman of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) - a high-level advisory group on radio spectrum set up by the Commission in 2002 -, Commissioner Reding stressed this morning the importance of the "digital dividend" for stimulating growth and competition on Europe's telecoms markets. The digital dividend is the additional spectrum that will become available for new wireless and TV services as a result of the switchover from analogue to digital TV, which has started in the EU Member States and is expected to be completed by 2012 (IP/09/266). The Commission believes that the digital dividend gives a welcome boost, in particular for wireless internet broadband services, thereby supporting the EU's "broadband for all" policy, especially in these times of economic downturn. After her meeting with Mr Pataki today, Commissioner Reding highlighted the pivotal role that national spectrum regulators in the RSPG will play over the coming months in turning the digital dividend into a practical reality for the benefit of Europe's economy and citizens.

See Press release

Source: Europa

The European Commission asks the German telecoms regulator, Bundesnetzagentur ("BNetzA"), to notify it of Deutsche Telekom's fixed call origination and termination rates. Origination and termination rates are wholesale charges for connecting calls between operators. Until now, BNetzA has only provided general information about the principles it will apply, but did not notify the level of the regulated rates to the Commission and the national regulators of the other 26 EU Member States, as required by the EU telecoms rules' consultation ("Article 7 procedure"). This procedure, provided for by the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers since 2002, aims to ensure more coherent and transparent regulation of telecommunication markets across Europe, thereby avoiding distortions of competition between operators from different Member States. Should BNetzA continue to fail to comply with this obligation, the Commission may open an infringement procedure for non-compliance with EU law (Article 226 of the EC Treaty). In December 2008, the Commission had already requested BNetzA to notify mobile termination rates (see IP/08/1860).

See Press Release
Source: Europa

Canada  announced the upcoming launch of the redesigned CRTC Web site thereby making changes to better meet the needs of
visitors to crtc.gc.ca and to meet the new standards for federal government Websites. Visit  online for more information on the CRTC Web site revitalization.

IST-Africa 2009 (6 May 2009 - 8 May 2009 Uganda)  is the fourth in a series of annual technology research conferences that bring together representatives from leading commercial, government and research organisations around the world to bridge the Digital Divide by sharing knowledge, experience, lessons learnt and good practice, and identify opportunities for international research collaboration between Europe and Africa under the ICT Theme and Research Infrastructures (Capacities Programme) of Framework Programme 7 (FP7). A Call for Papers on the following Thematic Priorities has been launched : eHealth - Health Information Systems, eInfrastructures, Technology Enhanced Learning and ICT Skills, Digital Libraries and Intelligent Content, Open Source Software - Applications, ICT for eInclusion and eAccessibility, ICT for Environmental Sustainability, RFID and Networked Enterprise, eGovernment - Services to Citizens & Business. Submission deadline is 9 November 2008

See Conference site
Source: Europa

The European Commission has launched a public consultation “Towards a Strengthened Network and Information Security Policy in Europe”. It will help to gather information from as many sources as possible on the possible objectives of such a policy at EU level and on the means of achieving them. The consultation is accessible online until 9 January 2009.

See Press Release
Source: Europa

ANACOM - Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações and the ITU - International Telecommunication Union signed an agreement yesterday establishing an ITU Centre of Excellence for Portuguese and Spanish speaking African countries. In addition a memorandum was signed between the national regulator and the regulators of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries together with the statutes establishing the Association of Communications and Telecommunications Regulators of CPLP. These are two important instruments of multilateral cooperation within the framework of telecommunications in general and regulation in particular.

The objective of the Centre of Excellence is the training and qualification of the telecommunications sector in Portuguese and Spanish speaking African countries, whereby it may constitute a key lever for the development of frameworks and create instruments of self-sustainability in training.

See Press Release
Source: Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações (ANACOM)

In search of the best strategies to boost Europe's leadership in ICT (Information and Communications Technology) research and innovation in the next decade, the European Commission today launched a public consultation. Contributions from industry, ICT experts, policy-makers and the wider public will be fed into a new strategy for ICT research and innovation, to be unveiled next year. The aim is to put European ICT industry, especially SMEs, to the fore of the race for global competitiveness. The public consultation is open until 7 November 2008.

Source: Europa

The European Parliament will debate, in plenary session, the so-called EU Telecoms Reform. On 13 November 2007, the European Commission had proposed to the European Parliament and the Council of Telecoms Ministers to reform the EU Telecoms rules (in place since 2003) to reinforce competition and investment and to create a Single Telecoms Market in the EU with innovative cross-border services and wireless high-speed broadband for all. Following an intense debate and many hearings, the European Parliament's Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) and the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) voted on amendments on 7 July (MEMO/08/491). The debate in the European Parliament's plenary with its 785 members is expected to pave the way for a vote on the Commission's entire EU Telecoms reform proposals in first reading on 23 September. Depending on the outcome of the vote and the discussions in the Council of Telecoms Ministers of 27 November, a political agreement on the final legislative texts could be achieved between the three institutions by the end of the year. The new regulatory framework would then become the law in all 27 EU Member States by 2010.

Source: Europa

Ofcom published a document outlining its role in furthering the interests of citizens. The discussion paper, Citizens, Communications and Convergence, details how Ofcom serves citizens' interests by ensuring that people have access to the communications services, content and skills needed to participate in society. Please send your comments to alistair.bridge@ofcom.org.uk by 8 October 2008. The paper can be found here.
 
Also, Ofcom thinks that while  current regulation of ADR and complaints handling procedures is successful in many respects, it has identified potential problems around access to ADR. It has also found evidence of general levels of dissatisfaction with CPs’ complaints handling procedures. In this Consultation Document OFCOM considers a number of different options to address these issues.To ensure that the interests of citizens and consumers are advanced, it is crucial that OFCOM considers the impact of any proposed regulation on all relevant stakeholders. OFCOM is committed to a thorough and open consultation and is inviting comments on proposals and on other options by 4 October 2008.
See http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/alt_dis_res/

Source: OFCOM

Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) and the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) of the European Parliament voted on the European Commission's proposals to reform the EU Telecom rules. Even though the final view of the European Parliament will only be known once the Plenary has voted on the Commission proposal - which is expected to take place on 3 September 2008 - the votes in ITRE and IMCO are important steps towards shaping the final legislative texts to be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council.

See Press Release
Source: Europa

The Commission will be represented by Viviane Reding, EU Telecoms Commissioner. The Ministers will discuss several significant Telecoms dossiers, including the EU Telecoms Reform and the mid-term review of the i2010 strategy. The Council is also expected to agree on a general approach for the extension of the mandate of the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). Main items at this Telecom Council agenda:

    * EU Telecoms Reform: Progress report and exchange of views on the proposals to reform the EU's current Telecoms Rules.
    * European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA): General approach on the extension of the mandate of the Agency.
    * Digital Dividend: Adoption of Council conclusions on the Communication on making the most of the digital dividend in Europe.
    * i2010: Adoption of Council conclusions responding to the Commission Communication on the mid-term review of i2010, Europe's strategy for an Information Society for growth and jobs by 2010, published on 18 April 2008.
    * Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6): Presentation of Internet Action plan for the deployment of IPv6.
    * Mobile Satellite Services (MSS): Information from the Presidency.

See Press Release
Source: Europa

According to Afrique en ligne, An African Association of Telecommunications Regulators was created by participants in the eighth African forum of telecommunications regulators and operators. In one year, the General assembly of African regulators will be convened  to propose the legal and statutory framework for the organisation.  The Secretariat of the Association will be located in Senegal for a one-year term.

See more
Source: Afriqueenligne

The 8^th Global Symposium for Regulators took place from 11 to 13 March 2008 in Pattaya, Thailand. This major ITU event focused on best practices in regulatory measures to foster and encourage sharing of infrastructure resources as a means of stimulating investment and growth in the ICT sector.

Ten discussion papers were developed for this year's GSR:

1. What do we mean by 6 Degrees of Sharing?
2. Extending Open Access to National Fibre Backbones in Developing Countries
3. International Gateway Liberalization: the Singapore experience
4. Breaking Up is Hard to Do: The Emergence of Functional Separation as a Regulatory Remedy
5. Mobile Sharing
6. Spectrum Sharing
7. WRC-07 Results and Impact on Terrestrial Broadband Wireless Access Systems
8. End-User Sharing
9. International Mobile Roaming Regulation – An Incentive for Cooperation
10. IPTV and Mobile TV: New Challenges for Regulators

Comments are welcome by 13 April 2008 at: gsr08@itu.int.   

More information on the event as well as the presentations from the panel sessions can be found at the GSR 2008 website.

See: Press release 

Source: ITU

Ofcom's Chief Executive, Ed Richards, today spoke at the European Parliament's Industry Research and Energy Committee Hearing on proposed changes to the European regulatory framework.
 
The full text
 
Source: OFCOM
 

The Commission is preparing a Recommendation that will address the issues raised by the use of RFID in terms of privacy, data protection and information security. As part of this preparation, and given the importance of this forthcoming Recommendation, the Commission has decided to put up for public consultation all the articles that are currently being considered in its draft Recommendation. This will allow all stakeholders to voice their opinion on the subject. The public consultation will be open until 25 April. The Commission services will then analyse the received contributions and put forward a draft Recommendation for adoption before the summer of 2008.

See Details
Source: Europa

On 25 February, 2008, the Commission will hold a public hearing in Gatineau, Quebec, to consider an application by BCE Inc. seeking, among other, authority for the transfer of its effective control to a corporation to be incorporated (BCE Holdco) by an investor group led by Teachers Private Capital, the private investment arm of the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, Providence Equity Partners Inc., Madison Dearborn Partners and Merrill Lynch Global Partners, Inc. For more information or to listen to the hearing through live audio feed, please visit  website.
Reference documents:    Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2007-19
See also 2007-19-1

Also on 25 February, 2008, the Commission will hold a public hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, to consider diverse broadcasting applications. For more information or to listen to the hearing through live audio feed, please visit  website.
Reference documents:    Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2007-18
See also 2007-18-1; 2007-18-2;  2007-18-3   and 2007-18-4.

Source: CRTC

Thailand’s National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)  to award both WiMAX and 3G mobile network operating licences in the third quarter of this year. The announcement follows a series of  promises to issue next generation concessions; last September the regulator said 3G licences would be allocated in the first quarter of 2008. In the latest announcement, an official from the watchdog said that five WiMAX and three 3G spectrum licences are likely to be offered in an auction - the choice of method – straight auction versus beauty contest – has still not been decided on.

Source: Telegeography

Upon the invitation by the Mediterranean Network Regulatory Authorities, the Communications Regulatory Agency became a member of this renowned network at its 9th  session held on 29th and 30th November 2007, in Marrakesh, Morocco.

See Press Release
Source: RAK

The second meeting of the IGF was held in Rio de Janeiro on 12-15 November 2007. Transcripts of the following main sessions are available, click here. The third meeting of the IGF will be held on December 8th to 11th 2008  in New Delhi. A first preparatory meeting will be held in Geneva on February 26th, 2008. The meeting will be held in the form of consultations open to all stakeholders. Its main purpose will be to take stock of the 2007 IGF meeting and to discuss how to prepare the New Delhi meeting. More details will be made available on this blog in due course.

Source: Internet Governance Forum

See also: Chairman's summary of the meeting

About sixty telecommunication service operators and providers of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) member-states are discussing the creation of a dialogue platform in telecommunications, aiming to favour coordination and cooperation between telecommunication actors.

See more

Source : APA

The French regulatory network, FRATEL, held a meeting on QoS and consumers' protection, on November 7-9, 2007.  Documents and presentations are downloadable on FRATEL's website.

See more

Source : FRATEL

In order to draw up the Position Paper on the Regulatory Strategy for the Romanian Electronic Communications Sector up to 2010, ANRCTI and its consultant, TASC Strategic Consulting, undertook a diagnosis-analysis of the Romanian electronic communications sector which outlined, among others, the fact that Romania lags behind most of the other EU Member States in terms of the penetration of its electronic communications services. Main gap in penetration falls in the broadband and fixed telephony services, whereas penetration of subscription TV services is higher than the European average.  

 

Mobile telephony and subscription TV services fueled the Romanian market growth. Whereas revenues from subscription TV registered the highest annual average growth rates (40%), mobile telephony became the most important source of revenues within the sector (56.7% of the total gross revenues). Therefore, both segments reached high levels of penetration (62.5% as regards subscription TV and, respectively, 90.5% for mobile telephony). On the contrary, the penetration rate of broadband Internet access services is still unsatisfactory, in spite of the accelerated growth, while fixed telephony seems to continue its ”zero growth” from both revenues and penetration standpoints. Full press release

 

Source: ANRCTI, Poland

The Korea-Uzbekistan IAC (Information Access Center) has opened in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. The center is expected to play a leading role to establish IT infrastructure and provide IT education in Uzbekistan.

The MIC and Agency of Communication and Information of Uzbekistan held the opening ceremony of the Korea-Uzbekistan IAC in the morning of October 25th at the main hall of the Tashkent Information and Communications University. High ranking officials of both countries participated in the ceremony, including Minister Younghwan Yoo of the MIC, Director General Abdulla N. Aripov of Communications and Information Agency (Deputy Prime Minister), Korean Ambassador Jemin Kyun in Uzbekistan, President Youn-gi Sohn of Korea Agency for Digital Opportunity and Promotion, and President Kashimov of Tashkent University of Information Technologies. Full press release

Source: Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC), Korea

La CRT pone a disposición del sector y demás interesados, las presentaciones que fueron expuestas el pasado 22 y 23 de octubre de 2007 en el Salón Imperial del Hotel Las Americas con motivo del 2ndo Taller Internacional sobre Regulación, Competencia e Interconexión. En este evento se buscó proporcionar las herramientas básicas para que los agentes del sector a nivel nacional e internacional y los reguladores de la región adquirieran los conocimientos necesarios para fomentar el establecimiento de marcos reglamentarios que promuevan la innovación, la inversión y el acceso asequible a las NGN, y faciliten la transición hacia las mismas, mediante la orientación de expertos internacionales en el tema, que trataron diferentes tópicos relacionados. Full press release

Source: CRT, Colombia

(PRENSA CONATEL /Leonardo Azarak) El Ministro del Poder Popular para las Telecomunicaciones y la Informática, Jesse Chacón se reunió con las delegaciones de Siria, Nigeria y Rusia, para compartir los adelantos del proyecto Satélite Simón Bolívar, dando cumplimiento a la agenda venezolana en la Conferencia Mundial de Radiocomunicaciones en Suiza.

Nabil Kisrawi, delegado de la comisión siria, con gran trayectoria en la Unión Internacional de Telecomunicaciones (UIT), se mostró complacido con los avances en la construcción del satélite y comentó que la administración siria apoyará el proyecto y dará a conocer con otros países árabes los beneficios de la iniciativa venezolano – uruguaya. Full press release

Source: CONATEL, Venezuela

Los especialistas que participan en la reunión 36 de APECTEL, analizan los desafíos que impone la seguridad de las redes de telecomunicaciones y los ataques informáticos. La cooperación entre los operadores de la industria y la protección de los consumidores, son materias de preocupación para las economías del Asia Pacífico.

La importancia de Internet como una infraestructura indispensable para el desarrollo de las actividades socioeconómicas del mundo global, ha motivado a las Economías miembros de APEC a enfrentar el incremento y la especialización de los ataques informáticos con una estrategia común. Full press release

Source: SUBTEL, Chile

                
Viviane Reding, Member of the European Commission responsible for Information Society and Media, delivered a speech titled "Better Regulation for a Single Market in Telecoms" at the Plenary meeting of the European Regulators Group (Athens, 11 October 2007).

See the Press Release and the Speech

Source: Europa

Today, October 16, 2007, the National Regulatory Authority for Communications and Information Technology (ANRCTI) organised a Consultative Council session, during which the findings of the consultancy project for the elaboration of the Regulatory Strategy in the Electronic Communications Sector for 2007-2010 were presented and debated. The agenda of the meeting also included the project for amending the ANRCTI President’s Decision no.1.074/2004 on the Implementation of Universal Service in the Electronic Communications Sector.

 

On this occasion, the representatives of TASC Strategic Consulting, the consultancy company assisting ANRCTI in the elaboration of the regulatory strategy, presented the conclusions of the study conducted on the main segments of the Romanian electronic communications market and proposed a set of strategic objectives, which should guide the regulator’s approach to this market, as well as a series of remedies for the assessed deficiencies. Full press release

 

Source: ANRCTI, Romania

Ireland opens consultation on 2008-2010 strategy.

See the Press Release and the Stratgey Statement

Source : ComReg

MIC invites public comment on the draft report compiled by the Study Group on Future Images of Universal Service Fund System during the period from October 5 (Fri.) to November 5 (Mon.), 2007. MIC has held the meetings of the Study Group on Future Images of Universal Service Fund System since January 29, 2007, to discuss the universal service fund system in addressing the transition to IP-based networks. The draft report has been compiled based on the results of discussions at this study group, and MIC thus invites public comment thereon.

See Press Release

Source: MIC

 

This year, the Romanian regulator is facing multiple challenges, ranging from the expansion of its powers to cover spectrum issues to carrying out the first round of market analyses within Romania’s membership in the EU. This conference will be a unique opportunity for ANRCTI to present the results of a one-year exercise of investigation, analysis and reflection, which are now rounding up in a regulatory policy and strategy for the Romanian electronic communications sector up to 2010.

Full press release

 

Source: ANRC, Romania

 

1 de octubre, 2007) Según estudios de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), las Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación (TIC) aportan entre 10% y 24% a la tasa de crecimiento del PIB de América Latina. Pero aunque representan herramientas importantes para el desarrollo económico y social de la región, el debate en torno al impulso a estas tecnologías está apenas iniciado.

Para avanzar en la adopción de las TIC y establecer nuevas metas concretas para el acceso e inclusión digital, creación de capacidades y conocimientos, entre otras materias, la CEPAL y el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional y Culto de la República Argentina han organizado la Reunión de Consulta Regional preparatoria de la II Conferencia Ministerial sobre Sociedad de la Información de América Latina y el Caribe, este 4-5 octubre de 2007 en el Palacio San Martín, sede de la Cancillería Argentina, en Buenos Aires, Argentina. Full press release

Source: CEPAL

Washington, DC -- The Commission has released an updated agenda for its Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop to be held Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at FCC Headquarters, 445 12^th St., NW, Washington, DC, in the Commission Meeting Room.  It will begin at 8:00 AM and end at 4:15 PM.   The updated agenda is attached.

 

Source: FCC, USA

New Delhi, 18^{th September, 2007 -} The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has today released a consultation paper on issues relating to mobile television. Mobile television services refer to provision of television services to subscribers for viewing on handheld or portable devices such as mobile phones. The television content can be provided through the mobile telecommunications networks or by using the broadcasting technologies.

In India, Doordarshan has already launched its mobile TV service in Delhi on trial basis. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, has sought recommendations of the TRAI on various issues relating to mobile television services, such as international practice, eligibility criteria, net-worth requirement, foreign direct and indirect investment levels, technology to be adopted, revenue sharing, entry fees, bank guarantee, and spectrum to be used. Full press release

 

Source: TRAI, India

Começou ontem, 17, na Câmara dos Deputados, a Conferência Nacional Preparatória de Comunicações. O evento tem como tema "Uma Nova Política para a Convergência Tecnológica e o Futuro das Comunicações" e ocorre num momento importante, pois a convergência digital está transformando a comunicação, o que torna necessário o debate sobre o aperfeiçoamento legal e regulatório para o setor. A solenidade de abertura contou com a presença do presidente da Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel), Ronaldo Mota Sardenberg, que destacou a importância do evento e elogiou a parceria entre os poderes Executivo e Legislativo, que poderá contribuir fortemente para a revisão do marco regulatório. Full Press release

Source: ANATEL, Brazil

This year, the children in Padureni village, Botosani county, have one reason more to be happy that school starts – today, September 17, 2007, in the first day of school, Dan Georgescu, President of the National Regulatory Authority for Communications and Information Technology, together with Sorin Vasilescu, Junior Project Manager Orange Romania have been present at Padureni at the launching of the telecentre which Orange Romania installed here, at ANRCTI’s initiative.

“So far, more than 17,000 children of the communities where telecentres have been installed have access to knowledge and are closer to the world. It is a great joy for us to be able to offer to the children of Padureni, as well, the opportunity to be connected to other children as them, both locally and worldwide. The programme initiated by ANRCTI enabled approximately 230,000 people of 253 localities where telecentres were installed to communicate easier with their friends and relatives from abroad and to be always informed. In Botosani county, 10 telecentres are already functional and, following the tender ANRCTI organised in June, two more telecentres shall be installed”, Dan Georgescu, President of ANRCTI, declared.  Full press release

 

Source: ANRC, Romania

A Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel) promove - em conjunto com o Ministério das Comunicações; a Comissão de Ciência e Tecnologia, Comunicação e Informática, da Câmara dos Deputados; e a Comissão de Ciência e Tecnologia, Inovação, Comunicação e Informática, do Senado Federal - a Conferência Nacional Preparatória de Comunicações. O encontro, que acontece na próxima semana, de 17 a 19 de setembro, no Congresso Nacional, terá como tema "Uma Nova Política para a Convergência Tecnológica e o Futuro das Comunicações". Full Press release

Source: ANATEL, Brazil

Atendiendo las solicitudes recibidas de diferentes agentes del sector, en las que se manifiesta la necesidad de contar con tiempo adicional para el estudio detallado del documento sobre “Consideraciones para la implementación de la presuscripción en Colombia”, la Comisión de Regulación de Telecomunicaciones amplía el plazo de recepción de comentarios al mismo hasta el 21 de septiembre de 2007. Full note

Source: CRT, Colombia

Washington, DC – The Federal Communications Commission today announced the agenda topics and tentative speakers for the Digital Television Consumer Education Workshop to be held Wednesday, September 26, 2007, at FCC Headquarters, 445 12^th St., SW, Washington, DC, in the Commission Meeting Room.  It will begin at 8:00 AM and end at 3:45 PM.   

 

          The purpose of the workshop is to provide an opportunity for all interested parties to jointly discuss the challenges associated with the upcoming transition and explore ways to develop coordinated consumer education activities. Organizations representing a broad range of consumers and other stakeholders will be represented, including those who represent senior citizens, low-income consumers, non-English speakers, people with disabilities, tribes, and public interest organizations working on behalf of underserved customers or those living in rural areas.  A preliminary agenda is attached. Full Press release

 

Source: Federal Communication Comission (FCC), USA

OECD Ministerial Meeting -- The Future of the Internet Economy, Seoul, Korea, 17-18 June 2008

The Internet is increasingly critical to our economies and societies – with implications for all policy domains.
Only now is the world beginning to grasp the Internet’s potential as a powerful driver of innovation, sustainable economic growth and social well-being. It is timely for Ministers, CEOs and Internet experts to forge broad principles that will guide the next decade of the Internet economy.
In preparation for this event, the OECD is inviting public comment on issues to be discussed at that meeting. Such issues include enhancing the participatory web, protecting consumers, and battling malware.  You can provide your comments by filling out an online questionnaire.  The public consultation will be open until Friday, September 14, 2007.

See more

Source: OECD

Consumers and emerging technologies will be the focus of discussion at this week’s inaugural Communications Consumer Dialogue, jointly hosted by the Australian Communications and Media Authority and Communications Alliance.

To be held on Wednesday 22 August 2007, the dialogue will focus on new and emerging technologies and how they will benefit consumers.

‘The dialogue is an opportunity for consumer representatives and those with an interest in consumer issues to focus on how Australia will achieve equitable access in the area of emerging technologies,’ said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman. Full Press release

Source: ACMA, Ausralia

The Namibian government has announced that it will enter a new round of discussions with Botswana and Angola to secure a landing point for Namibia on the SAT-3 international submarine cable. The three countries have had four rounds of discussions on the issue since July last year. Both Namibia and Botswana both proposed an alternative international broadband connectivity route to SAT-3 to address the high costs of communications in the respective countries. ‘The transit costs to route telecommunication calls through Cape Town to the SAT-3 have become unsustainable,’ Namibia’s acting Permanent Secretary of Information, Wilma Deetlefs, said in a statement yesterday. Full Press release

Source: Telegeography

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa will be conducting workshops on regulations with regard to a Code on People with Disabilities. The workshops were preceded by the publication of draft regulations in June 2007. The draft regulations prescribe a Code of Good Practice that defines the approach that should be adopted by all licensees, in providing services to people with disabilities in the communications industry as provided for by the section 70 of the Electronic Communications Act no. 36 of 2005. Full Press release

Source: ICASA, South Africa

A Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel) recebe esta tarde comitiva norte-americana composta de representantes do Departamento de Estado, do órgão regulador das telecomunicações - a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) e do Departamento de Comércio. Esse será o terceiro encontro bilateral entre autoridades dos dois países. A agenda do encontro, coordenado pelo presidente da Agência, Ronaldo Mota Sardenberg, prevê a discussão dos seguintes temas: panorâmica das telecomunicações, Internet, espectro de radiofreqüências, certificação e acordos de reconhecimento mútuo, TV e rádio digitais, além de competição. Uma outra reunião será realizada  amanhã, no Ministério das Comunicações, sempre com o objetivo de discutir questões de interesse comum no setor das telecomunicações. Full Press release

Source: ANATEL, Brazil

Senior ICT policy makers and regulators from developing countries gathered in Singapore from 30 July to 3 August 2007 to attend a five-day executive programme on information and communication technology (ICT) development, entitled "Enabling Frameworks for ICT Development — The Singapore Experience".

The programme, offered by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) in collaboration with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), provided an opportunity for participants from Asia Pacific, Africa and Arab States to study and analyse Singapore’s model as a means to catalyse ICT progress in their own countries. The participating countries included Bhutan, Brunei, Kenya, Kiribati, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Viet Nam.

This follows an agreement reached between ITU and IDA in June 2007 to provide a training programme for senior ICT and telecom officials that would foster the development of ICT frameworks in their countries to enable fair, effective and sustainable competition in a multi-operator, multi-network environment. The Executive Training Programme is one example of action taken to implement the ITU Regional Initiative on Telecommunication/ICT Policy and Regulatory Cooperation in the Asia Pacific Region, which was adopted by the 4th World Telecommunication Development Conference held in Doha, Qatar in 2006. (More information on the Training Programme)

ITU Press release.

La Comisión Federal de Telecomunicaciones ha logrado avances en temas estratégicos para el desarrollo del sector, como la implantación de la portabilidad numérica, el diseño de un nuevo plan técnico de interconexión y la entrada en vigor del programa El que Llama Paga Nacional e Internacional, expuso el presidente del organismo, Héctor Osuna Jaime.

Al participar en la Novena Reunión de la Comisión de Alto Nivel en Materia de Telecomunicaciones México-Estados Unidos, el titular de la COFETEL habló de los "grandes cambios de la estructura reglamentaria" que ha vivido el recientemente el sector mexicano de las telecomunicaciones. Full Press release

Source: COFETEL, Mexico

La Comisión Consultiva de Alto Nivel México-Estados Unidos en Materia de Telecomunicaciones (CCAN) se reunirá para analizar los asuntos bilaterales que están encaminados a promover la comunicación transfronteriza y la interoperabilidad, así como para prevenir interferencias perjudiciales a los servicios de seguridad pública, comerciales y de radiodifusión en las zonas altamente pobladas de la franja común.

En el marco de esta reunión, a celebrarse este viernes 3 en la Ciudad de México, se prevé que las delegaciones reiteren su intención de promover la cooperación y coordinación para encontrar soluciones a los retos que surjan en la operación de los servicios de telecomunicaciones y radiodifusión a lo largo de la frontera común, además de los que puedan aparecer con los servicios vía satélite, incluyendo la revisión y actualización de los acuerdos existentes en la materia para apoyar la introducción de nuevos servicios. Full Press release

Source: Comision Federal de Telecomunicaciones (COFETEL), Mexico

Refinement of policies means new domain names on track for mid-2008, possible live evaluation of IDNs
Real progress has been demonstrated in key discussions at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers 29th International Public Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico. “One of the real highlights of the San Juan meeting was the dialogue around issues that will impact the future of the Internet – especially new generic top-level domains and internationalized domain names,” said Dr Paul Twomey, President and CEO of ICANN. ICANN has overseen two earlier extensions of the Internet space: the addition of seven TLDs, including .info and .name in 2000, and the addition of another six in a process that began in 2004. Full press release.

Source: ICANN

On World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, 17 May 2007, Dr Hamadoun I. Touré, Secretary-General, presented ITU Performance Awards to the Regulatory Reform Unit for its exceptional contribution to the Union in the context of the Global Symposium of Regulators (GSR). Doreen Bogdan, Susan Schorr, Nancy Sundberg and Kate Doré received the award.

“Broadband Internet access services are currently a top-priority for the European Union, especially in what concerns the penetration rate in the rural localities. Although these services registered a significant growth in Romania, during the last year - namely 136% - and the broadband connections number exceeded 1,750,000 by December 31, 2006, representing 54% of the total number of Internet access connections, the outstanding stringent issue refers to the access of inhabitants from rural localities, meaning 40% of the population, to broadband services”, the President of ANRCTI, Dan Georgescu, declared today during the Conference “Bridging the Broadband Gap”, in Brussels.

 

In the near future, the European Union will concentrate its efforts on diminishing the difference between rural and urban localities as regards the broadband Internet access services. To this end, it is worth noticing that the works of this conference are chaired by four European Commissioners: Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Information Society and Media, Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Danuta Hübner, Commissioner for Regional Policies and Neelie Kroes, Commissioner for Competition.

 

At a European level, the highest broadband penetration rate is registered by Denmark – 30.3%, while Turkey is at the other end of the scale, with a penetration rate of 3%, while the EU average reaches 15.6%. Romania registers a 8.2% penetration rate, according to the statistical data report for second semester of 2006, published today by ANRCTI, on its website. The report is available here for consultation.

 

The Conference aims at conveying a strong political message regarding the strategic importance that IT&C should have in the use of structural and rural funds, as well as in the fulfilment of a synergy in view of coordinating the regional development policies. More than 600 delegates attend the Conference and discuss the ways the use of new information and communications technologies can support the regional and local development, how can certain geographic obstacles be overcome, and in what way can the infrastructure be extended in order to turn these areas into points of interest both for investors and for simple citizens.

 

One of the issues of major interest approached during the conference was the way Member States can practically intervene for the purpose of financing the projects of developing the broadband networks in disfavoured environments, without hindering competition or breaching the European rules regarding State’s help. The presence of decision makers at the level of the European Commission facilitated the elucidation of numerous questions and interpellations on this issues. 

Source: ANRC, Romania

On April 23, an IT Ministerial Meeting was held between Minister Rho Jun-Hyong of Information and Communication and Minister Ali Abbasov of Communications and Information Technologies of the Azerbaijan Republic, who is accompanying President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on his state visit to Korea. The two Ministers discussed ways to cooperate in the field of IT.

Areas of IT cooperation took shape as the two IT Ministers signed an MOU to cooperate in the field of e-Government formulation in the presence of President Roh Moo-Hyun and President Ilham Aliyev, following the summit meeting.

The conclusion of the MOU is expected to spur active exchanges and cooperation between Korea and Azerbaijan through the formation of an inter-governmental working level committee to collaborate in areas which include e-Government formulation, maintenance, and development; standardization and certification in the field of e-Government; information security and Public Key Infrastructure(PKI); and national identification system, as well as by promoting exchange visits of experts, and jointly holding technical exhibitions, seminars, and symposia.

Meanwhile, with an aim to assist the Azerbaijan government’s e-Government project and to facilitate the efforts of Korean IT service firms to enter the Central Asian market, in December of last year, Korea completed supporting a pre-feasibility test on Azerbaijan’s e-Government formulation project, which includes areas such as national identification system, digital signature, and e-Customs.

Source: MIC, Korea

The three-day meeting (5-7 February) will bring together Heads of national regulatory authorities from both developed and developing countries to achieve consensus on the best ways to address the challenges brought about by the migration to NGN networks. 60 heads of regulatory authorities, together with 50 of their commissioners and board members are slated to attend. By 2008, at least 50% of all international telecommunication traffic is expected to be carried on IP networks. IP provides a common language in which different networks (for instance fixed and mobile; local and wide-area) can communicate together. Thus, IP is the touchstone for convergence and a common platform for NGN, while network capacity increases every month. In order to remain strategically competitive in an increasingly converged world of services and content where voice is no longer the sole source of revenue, operators and carriers are migrating from circuit-switched to Internet-Protocol (IP) networks and from there to Next-Generation Networks or NGN, which allow for decoupling the network’s transport and service layers. NGN networks promise to offer full and true convergence of fixed and mobile, voice and data, data and video and IT, telecoms and broadcast sectors. This means that the choice of technology used for infrastructure will no longer have an impact on the kinds and variety of services delivered over that infrastructure. The deployment of NGN networks will also offer ubiquitous access for users of these networks as well as for competing service providers. This shift, while taking place gradually, is already happening in several parts of the world. NGN presents many opportunities but also many complexities and challenges and requires new regulatory thinking to promote investment and ensure that carriers can remain competitive in this new environment while ensuring open access. For more information see: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Events/Seminars/GSR/GSR07/

The two day Executive Level Training organized by the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) and infoDev, in cooperation with the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA), Hong Kong, China, ended on 3 December 2006. More than 50 Senior Executives from 27 countries gathered in Hong Kong, China to participate in this event.

The training focused on New Technologies, New thinking, ICT Regulation in a Changing World and highlighted how the joint ITU-infoDev ICT regulation toolkit could help regulators and policy makers. The ICT Regulation Toolkit and the training programme were designed to enable regulators and policy makers to identify solutions to their real world challenges. Nearly ninety percent of the participants expressed a high level of satisfaction and the wish to continue such training. The joint ITU infoDev ICT Regulation Toolkit was very well received and generated a lot of positive feedback. To learn more about this event, click here. To access the ICT regulation toolkit, click here.

Chief Executives from around the globe will gather from 2-3 December in Hong Kong (just prior to the ITU World Telecom events) for an executive level training programme organized by ITU and infoDev in cooperation with the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA), Hong Kong, China. The training is reserved exclusively for the heads of national regulatory authorities and senior executives of national policy-makers. The programme will focus on New Technologies, New Thinking: ICT Regulation in a Changing World. Rapid technological changes are taking place in the ICT sector, led by the vast deployment of IP networks, the convergence of fixed and mobile networks and services, and the advent of next generation networks. These developments call for new thinking and informed and sound policy/regulatory decisions. More information can be found on http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Events/Seminars/2006/ceotraining/index.html 

We are please to announce the seventh annual Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR), organized by the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in collaboration with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the United Arab Emirates (TRA). The Symposium will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 5 to 7 February 2007 and will be chaired by Mr. Mohamed Al Ghanim, Director General, TRA.

Additional information can be found at: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/gsr07.html

ITU held a Global Seminar on Quality of Service and Consumer Protection on 31 August and 1 September 2006, in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting attracted more than 115 participants from 43 countries worldwide representing Regulatory Authorities, Policy-makers, the ICT private sector and other stakeholders.

The first day focused on quality of service (QoS) and examined issues such as QoS measuring, monitoring, what regulators do in this field and QoS in a NGN environment. The second day was devoted to consumer protection in the digital age. Presentations and discussions focused on the role of regulators and other specialized bodies in providing consumer protection, handling disputes, addressing specific issues such as mobile roaming charges and consumer portection in a NGN environment. These issues generated active discussions among stakeholders from various regions.

The Chairman's report in now available on the event's webpage at: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Events/Seminars/2006/QoS-consumer/index.html

BDT will organize an Executive Level Training, jointly with infoDev, on 2-3 December 2006, to be held at the Hotel Kowloon Shangri-La, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China, immediately prior to ITU World Telecom 2006. The Executive Level Training workshop, organized in cooperation with the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA), Hong Kong, China, is designed for the heads of national regulatory authorities and senior executives of national policy-makers. It is based on the joint ITU-infoDev ICT Regulation Toolkit, and will focus on New Technologies, New Thinking: ICT Regulation in a Changing World. More information about this event is available on TREG at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Events/Seminars/2006/ceotraining/index.html

Heads of regulatory authorities and senior executives of policy-making bodies are encouraged to attend.

The Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) kicks off today a Global Seminar on Quality of Service and Consumer Protection in Geneva, Switzerland. The seminar includes distinguised speakers from around the globe representing regulators, operators, and consumers. The focus of the seminar is Quality of Service (QoS) and Consumer Protection that are key components of an enabling environment for ICTs. With the advent and fast roll-out of IP networks paving the way to an all IP (NGN) digital world, the issue of quality of service and consumer protection are not only gaining increased momentum amongst the ICT regulatory community but are of vital interest to all stakeholders worldwide. This seminar provides a unique opportunity to develop a common understanding and provide answers to these timely issues. For more information, and to view the programme and documentation, see: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Events/Seminars/2006/QoS-consumer/index.html

The European Regional Seminar on "Telecommunication Liberalization - Challenges and Opportunities for CEE, CIS and Baltic States", will be held in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova from 20 to 22 June 2006

The Seminar is aimed at building capacity in addressing the following major policy and regulatory issues to ensure competitive and vibrant ICT markets throughout the region and allow for the edification of the Information Society:

• Policies, strategies and regulation for liberalized markets; roles and functions of policymakers, regulators and operators.

• Key subjects of regulation – challenges in implementing effective regulation; interconnection of networks and services; VoIP regulation; and lessons learned.

• Ensuring independence and improving the efficiency of the national regulator by increasing authority and enforcement powers.

As you may be aware, ITU and infoDev are jointly developing the ICT Regulation Toolkit, an online resource for regulators and policy makers. The Toolkit includes two modules that are highly relevant to the themes of this workshop, the Legal and Institutional Framework for Regulatory Authorities and Competition, Interconnection and Price Regulation.

As agreed in Maputo, in 2005, the CEOs of African Regulatory bodies, Telecom and other Services Providers, and Policy Makers from Ministries got together in Yaoundé 7-8 June to discuss the challenges of IP Networks and related services to the African Regulators including the Voice over IP (VoIP). See the agenda and documents of the Forum on Telecommunication Regulation in Africa (FTRA-2006) (English -  French).

The ITU/BDT Regulatory Reform Unit (RRU) has just released its latest newsletter. The electronic version can be found here.

OECD - ICCP Workshop: The Future of the Internet

As the world’s societies and economies depend increasingly on the Internet, after three decades, the Internet and other global networks are approaching a crossroads. Leading Internet architects believe that the premises on which the Internet was built need rethinking, in order to preserve and expand opportunities for innovation and economic growth. The window of opportunity is now, for international cooperation and coherent policies to help shape a global Internet, that meets the needs of as many users as possible, is robust and secure, and that can scale itself to evolving requirements.

The divide between developed and developing countries in the telecommunication sector is fast shrinking, according to reports presented by ITU officials Doreen Bogdan and Vanessa Gray on the eve of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC). While the ratio of the fixed telephone lines in developing and developed countries were 1:6 in 2000, the figure has come down to 1:4, the report said.

Likewise, the mobile penetration too has seen a major rise in developing countries. The ratio of mobile phones in developing and developed countries were 1:9 in 2000 and has shot up to 1:4, it said.

Similarly, for every one Internet user in developing countries, there were 15 users in developed countries in 2000 and now the gap is down to 1:8, the report pointed out. Another remarkable climb in terms of number was in the mobile phones in developing countries. Now, more than 58% of the mobile users are in the developing world and of the 3bn phones in use, 1.80bn accounts for mobiles alone.

It brings the total share of mobile telephones in the telecom market to 60%, the studies pointed out. The total number of mobile phones overtook those of landlines in the first half of 2002, he said. However, disparities continue to exist as far as use of Internet is concerned. While the Americas and Europe have approximately 28% of its population hooked on to the information superhighway, Asia Pacific, Arab states and Africa are perched at 8.4%, 5.6% and 1.2% respectively.

However in the broadband segment, the Asia-Pacific region recorded major gains and in 2004, 41.4% of the region are already availing of these services. North America and Europe have about 28% of their population using the services. Latin American countries (2.4%), Arab states (0.2) and Africa (0.1%) have very meagre share, studies revealed. The report also calls for new thinking and an end to the domination of some regions when it comes to using the broadband services. It also highlights the necessity of harnessing the potential of low-cost technologies, innovative business approaches and simplified regulations for making the services accessible to more people.

The ITU analysts have called for building synergies with other infrastructure sectors, universities and private-leased lines to deploy fibre backbones. Community stakeholders should be encouraged to foster local broadband networks, the report says.

Bogdan and Gray have also pointed out in the report that ICTs have increased productivity, saved time and money and contributed to social development. The average time saved in each e-government transaction in European Union are (time in brackets): Income taxes (76 min), car registration (61), birth/marriage certificates (65) and registration of a company (75). The studies also revealed that the ICT-enabled British Telecom allowed the corporation to save over £60mn per year.

The World Telecommunication Development Conference 2006 opens in Doha, Qatar, with a call to connect all communities by 2015.

This follows a key decision of the World Summit on the Information Society, which concluded last November in Tunis, to ensure that all villages, schools, libraries and local governments will be connected to information and communication technologies (ICT) by 2015.

The Doha meeting is the first major world development conference of the year, and the first gathering of experts to focus on the implementation of the road map laid out by world leaders at the World Summit on the Information Society, which concluded last November in Tunis.

Doha Action Plan to meet the goals of development: At a Press conference on the eve of the opening, Roberto Blois, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) stated, "In order to reach the WSIS goal of connecting all communities, we have to tailor the potential of technology to the needs of humanity, especially remote communities and vulnerable sections of the population." He added that it would be necessary to develop low-cost rural telecommunication systems and make broadband and wireless telephony more accessible and affordable. Mr Blois said, "In keeping with these overall objectives, the WTDC-06 Doha Action Plan will consider two new global initiatives intended to benefit persons with disabilities, and promote telecommunications for use during emergencies and for disaster prevention and mitigation."

Blois said that following the success of the landmark World Summit on the Information Society people around the world are looking at ITU for leadership in implementing the objectives of an inclusive Information Society. "ITU has grown in stature," he said.

Vision of Qatar: Welcoming the Press to WTDC-06, Dr Hessa Al Jaber, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Information and Communication Technology (ictQatar), said that WTDC will provide a unique opportunity for developing countries to share their experiences and consolidate the success of WSIS. Dr Hessa continued, "His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, has set forth the vision for a progressive State of Qatar where thought and creativity can prosper, where political reforms and the people's participation in decision-making are no longer an option but a necessity, where women are granted a wide scope in effective participation in the development process, where the private sector has greater opportunities to participate in the development process, and where the resulting modern economic base provides citizens with equal opportunities and open horizons so that they can achieve higher standards of living."

Dr Hessa emphasized that the key objective is to be part of promoting international cooperation, regional initiatives and partnerships that can sustain and strengthen telecommunication infrastructure in developing countries, so the digital divide will decrease. She said, "WTDC-06 will provide an excellent opportunity for developed and developing countries to share their unique aspirations and insights. It represents a landmark in the march of the international community to achieve the WSIS Principles."

Promoting Global Cybersecurity: Director of the ITU Development Bureau (BDT) Hamadoun Touré said that some of the major technological challenges include building broadband and wireless networks, the evolution of next generation networks and the convergence of computing power and radio-spectrum management.

Looking at future trends, Hamadoun Touré said, "New technological developments bring new challenges, such as enabling universal access to ICT, as well as growing difficulties created by spam and the increasing threats to the security of ICT-based infrastructure and systems." He added, "WTDC will develop a blueprint for these new challenges".

The World Summit on the Information Society endorsed ITU's role in ensuring security in the use of ICT. "Cybersecurity is critical in the use and development of ICT," said ITU Deputy Secretary-General Roberto Blois. "With the exponential growth in the use of cyberspace for mission-critical services, the fight against cybercrime has become a necessity."

In today's interconnected and increasingly networked world, societies are vulnerable to a wide variety of threats, including deliberate attacks on critical information infrastructures with debilitating effects on our economies and on our societies. In order to safeguard ICT systems and infrastructure and in order to instil confidence in online trade, commerce, banking, telemedicine, e-government and a host of other applications, it has become vital to develop a global culture of cybersecurity.

"Unless these security and trust issues are addressed, the benefits of the Information Society to governments, businesses and citizens cannot be fully realized", said Blois.

Two Essential Reports Launched in Doha:

1st - Telecommunication/ICT Development Report: Measuring ICT for Social and Economic Development

One of the two key reports on ICT launched today in Doha on the occasion of the World Telecommunication Development Conference - World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report 2006 on Measuring ICT for Social and Economic Development - examines current trends and developments in the telecommunication/ICT sector and highlights the importance of ICT for development.

In a presentation to the Press, Vanessa Gray, Telecommunication Analyst at ITU said that the telecommunication industry has experienced continuous growth as well as rapid progress in policy and technological development, resulting in an increasingly competitive and networked world.

"There are now more ICT users worldwide and more people communicating than at any other time in history," said Gray. "By the end of 2004, the world counted a total of 3 billion telephone subscribers, 1.8 billion mobile subscribers and 1.2 billion fixed lines. Both the number of mobile subscribers and the number of internet users more than doubled in just four years. The world had over 840 million internet users, which means that on average 13 per cent of the world's population was online."

Overall, the digital divide has been reduced.. "Our statistics show that within four year, from 2000 to 2004, the gap separating the developing and the developed countries has been shrinking in terms of mobile subscribers, fixed telephone lines and Internet users", said Gray. The gap (or digital divide) is measured by dividing the ICT penetration rate in the developed world by the ICT penetration rate in the developing world. "Phenomenal growth rates in the mobile sector, particularly, have been able to reduce the gap from 9 in the year 2000, to 4 by the end of 2004. This gap has also been reduced in terms of fixed lines, from 6 to 4 in four years, and from 15 to 8 in terms of Internet users", Gray explains.

Yet, major differences persist in penetration levels. In 2004, almost one third of the population in Europe and the Americas was online, compared to 8 per cent in Asia and the Pacific. Europe has almost 15 times the internet penetration of Africa, where less than 2 per cent use the internet. In the Arab states, too, less than 6 out of 100 people are online.

As for broadband access, Africa and the Arab states are lagging behind Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North America which account for 97 per cent of all subscribers.

"The good news," according to Gray is that "high growth rates, technological innovation and progress in the mobile sector are extremely promising and providing exciting opportunities in the area of wireless broadband." The report states that mobile is clearly the prevailing (and often only) technology for telecommunication access in developing and rural regions, and broadband deployment will most likely be through wireless access (BWA) technologies like 3G but also WiMAX and WiFi.

2nd - 2006 Trends in Telecommunication: Regulating in a Broadband World

The second report launched today - Trends in Telecommunication - identifies a regulatory framework designed to enable developing countries to meet their broadband objectives. Doreen Bogdan, Head of Regulatory Reform Unit at ITU said, "Today, advances in broadband wireless access technologies encourage us to believe that the mobile miracle can be repeated with other ICTs, such as the internet and broadband, given the right regulatory conditions."

The optimism rests on the fact that the developing world has made great advances with mobile voice networks. Bogdan added, "Empowered by the WSIS commitments, we are very optimistic that the digital divide can be bridged and the Information Society achieved in both rural as well as urban areas."

Today's broadband challenge requires a dynamic response and an end to "business as usual". According to Bogdan, "Regulators have an unprecedented opportunity to speed the uptake of broadband. Old regulatory practices designed to protect legacy operators can be re-tooled as broadband-promoting frameworks."

New broadband technologies can connect even remote communities by

-Building synergies with other infrastructure sectors, universities and private leased lines to deploy fibre backbones

-Fostering local broadband networks by community stakeholders

-Using incremental nature of new technologies to promote broadband deployment as demand grows

The world of broadband is open to a whole new range of players, as long as the regulatory framework does not prohibit small broadband providers to enter the market. The new vision for broadband regulation entails reducing regulatory burdens, providing innovative incentives, and coordinating efforts by all links in the broadband value chain to unleash commercial and non-commercial deployment opportunities.

Turning to the applications of broadband, Doreen Bogdan said, "As Voice over IP (VoIP) is turning the old telecom business model on its head, it also offers a cheaper communication alternative to millions of users across the world." The rise of VoIP has prompted an array of regulatory responses, from outright bans to full legalization.

"Spam is another challenge raised by broadband," said Bogdan. "So far, existing ant-spam laws have had little effect as most laws target spammers, not the ISPs that carry spam." She is of the opinion that time may be ripe for anti-spam authorities to work with ISPs who can be instrumental in fighting spam. "One possibility," Bogdan said, "is the establishment of enforceable codes of conduct that would require ISPs to prohibit their customers from using ISPs as a source of spam."

The pace of broadband development hinges on the regulatory framework. It is essential to adapt to the changing technologies, as there is increasing evidence that some of the applications that are having the greatest impact on the economy and society are closely linked to broadband uptake.

Vanessa Gray explained that there is clear evidence that ICTs have a direct impact on social and economic development. But the greatest impact of ICTs is indirect, by transforming the way individuals, businesses and people work, shop, learn, interact, and communicate. "ICTs have truly transformed the world," said Gray. "And while it is actually not that easy to measure the concrete and quantifiable impact of ICTs, there are growing efforts to assess the changes that ICTs have made."

As ITU Deputy Secretary-General Roberto Blois said, "It is important to seize the digital opportunities and transform them for the common good of people everywhere." The Doha Action Plan will provide just this opportunity.

ITU

The World Telecommunication Development Conference 2006 opens in Doha, Qatar, tomorrow with a call to connect all communities by 2015.

This follows a key decision of the World Summit on the Information Society, which concluded last November in Tunis, to ensure that all villages, schools, libraries and local governments will be connected to information and communication technologies (ICT) by 2015.

The Doha meeting is the first major world development conference of the year, and the first gathering of experts to focus on the implementation of the road map laid out by world leaders at the World Summit on the Information Society, which concluded last November in Tunis. [Full article]

In this issue:

• Global Symposium for Regulators Forges New Broadband Vision
• Third Annual Regional Regulators Meeting (ARRM)- 13 November, 2005
• Effective regulation in a broadband world : Executive level training for ICT regulatory authorities, 12-13 November 2005
• ITU-infoDev ICT regulation toolkit unveiled at WSIS launch pad
• Expert Dialogue G-REX Virtual Conferences on Spectrum Management
• European Regional Seminar on Regulatory and Economic Aspects of VoIP and Broadband Promotion
• Annual G-REX Awards!

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Newsletters/RRUNews2005/RRUNews05Q4.html

In this issue:

• Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR): Regulating in a Broadband World, 14-15 November 2005
• GSR Consultation: Spectrum management to promote broadband access
• Executive-level Training for Regulators: Effective Regulation in a Broadband World, 12-13 November 2005
• Third Annual Meeting of Regional Regulatory Associations, 13 November 2005
• ITU-infoDev ICT Regulation Toolkit Expert Dialogue
• G-REX Virtual Conferences on Spectrum Management
• ITU/BDT Annual Telecommunication Regulatory Survey 2005

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Newsletters/RRUNews2005/RRUNews05Q3.html

In this issue:

• 5th Annual Global Symposium for Regulators, Geneva, 8-10 December 2004
• Second Annual Meeting of Regional Regulatory Associations, Geneva, 7 December 2004
• Trends in Telecommunication Reform 2004/05
• G-REX Facelift ITU
• Forum on Telecommunication Regulation in Africa "Licensing in the Era of Convergence" Kampala (Uganda), 3-5 November, 2004
• African IXP Report
• RRU Licensing Case Studies

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Newsletters/RRUNews2005/RRUNews05Q1.html

Global Symposium for Regulators Releases Best Practice ‘Connectivity’ Guidelines

Telecommunication regulators participating in the 5th annual ITU Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) have identified the best practices needed to facilitate access so that the social and economic benefits of the information society can benefit all the world’s citizens. They expressed a shared goal to create national regulatory frameworks that are flexible and that enable competition between multiple private sector service providers who may want to utilize a variety of technology platforms and delivery options.

"Technological innovations and market developments are forcing telecommunication regulators to rethink their regulatory practices," said Hamadoun I. Touré, Director of the ITU Development Bureau. "The reality is that with a full range of ICT services and devices available on different networks – regulators must face the question of whether licences that limit operators to specific services or technologies still makes sense."

The information and communication technology (ICT) sector is undergoing a radical transformation from one based on "plain old telephone service" (POTS) to one that provides voice, data and multimedia applications. At the same time, countries around the world are in the process of updating their licensing and regulatory frameworks to address this convergence and to better promote affordable Internet and broadband access.

ITU’s Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) brought together the heads of 54 national regulatory authorities from both developed and developing countries, with representatives from 106 countries, to achieve consensus on the best ways to address the challenges of convergence and to achieve the shared goal of affordable access. The GSR, which attracted 350 participants, has a reputation as the most important global venue for regulators to share views and experiences by fostering an open dialogue amongst themselves and with key stakeholders, including the private sector, investors and consumers. Full article

• 5th Global Symposium for Regulators

• Guidelines

In this issue:

• RRU Hosts Online Virtual Conference for Regional and Sub-Regional Regulators' Associations
• The Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority Hosts ITU European Regional Meeting on Fair Competition and Interconnection, Oslo, Norway, 1-3 June 2004
• Case study - Lithuania

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Newsletters/RRUNews2004/RRUNews04Q3.html

In this issue:

• RRU Hosts a Virtual Conference on Regulatory Cooperation on Spam-Regulators Agree International Cooperation Is Needed
• The Arab ICT Regulators Network Meeting
• ITU/ANATEL Seminar on Enforcing Telecommunications Law, Policy and Regulations, Current Issues
• 10th anniversary of the ITU/BDT Telecommunication Regulatory Survey!
• Trends Theme for 2004
• The News Corner! New feature on TREG website Upcoming

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Newsletters/RRUNews2004/RRUNews04Q2.html

In this issue:

• World's Regulators Agree to Best Practice Guidelines
• Test Yourself On Interconnection Regulation!
• G-REX Interconnection Emergency Room Open for Business!
• Call For Comments on Dispute Resolution Paper
• Other regulatory events

http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Newsletters/RRUNews2004/RRUNews04Q1.html

Regulators map ‘Universal Access’ route to Information and Communication Technology

Telecommunication regulators from around the world delivered a powerful message to world leaders convening in Geneva for the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The regulators identified a series of steps nations can take to bridge the digital divide. They called upon countries to open their information and communications technology (ICT) sectors to greater competition. They further identified the kinds of regulations and practices needed to promote universal access to ICT services. Full article

• 4th Global Symposium for Regulators
• Best practice guidelines

The digital divide is narrowing. It could do little else, with just one fixed phone line per 100 inhabitants in 1995 (that's a whopping three today). But the biggest surprise is the ultimate fill-in technology — mobile phones — and means. New investments by regional carriers are picking up the slack from their counterparts in richer countries that have all but abandoned their commitment to telecommunications development in nations that still lack a basic telecommunications infrastructure.

Mobile phone use in Africa has skyrocketed with cell phone subscribers outnumbering those from fixed lines in countries like Morocco at an astonishing six-to-one rate. Over 80% of all phone users in the Congo, Cameroon, Kenya and Uganda do so from handsets. And mobile phone users more than tripled in Nigeria to 1.5 million in just over a year. The continent leads the world in mobile phone growth.

That surge suggests that fixed line access may morph into an outdated measure of a maturing telecommunications infrastructure, and that follow-on services like Internet access will likely focus on the roving handset, instead. Worldwide, mobile phone users now outnumber fixed line ones with their numbers in low-income countries surging to over 500 million today from 3 million in 1993, for the fastest take-up rates in the world.