The European Commission has ruled that Polish telecom regulator Urz¹d Komunikacji Elektronicznej (UKE) must withdraw its plans to regulate the markets for internet traffic exchange services in Poland. Internet service providers use these data traffic exchange services to connect their customers to the Internet. After a two-month investigation, the Commission has decided that UKE has failed to show that competitive conditions in Poland require the regulation of these markets, which are not regulated elsewhere in the EU. Indeed, internet service providers are able to connect to the Internet not only by using direct interconnection services provided by the Polish incumbent Telekomunikacja Polska "TP" but also by indirect interconnection via other operators.

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Source: Europa

The European Commission has ruled that Polish telecom regulator Urz¹d Komunikacji Elektronicznej (UKE) must withdraw its plans to regulate the markets for internet traffic exchange services in Poland. Internet service providers use these data traffic exchange services to connect their customers to the Internet. After a two-month investigation, the Commission has decided that UKE has failed to show that competitive conditions in Poland require the regulation of these markets, which are not regulated elsewhere in the EU. Indeed, internet service providers are able to connect to the Internet not only by using direct interconnection services provided by the Polish incumbent Telekomunikacja Polska "TP" but also by indirect interconnection via other operators.

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Source: Europa

El Ministro de Transportes y Comunicaciones, Enrique Cornejo, anunció hoy que en lo que resta del régimen, su despacho pondrá énfasis en sentar las bases para el desarrollo sostenido de la transmisión de datos por la Banda Ancha en todo el país para aprovechar el gran potencial de este moderno servicio de telecomunicación, en beneficio del desarrollo económico nacional.

En ese sentido, el Ministro Cornejo encomió la constitución en la fecha, en el ámbito del MTC, de una comisión multisectorial temporal que se encargará de elaborar el Plan Nacional para el Desarrollo de la Banda Ancha en el Perú, en un plazo de 120 días.

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Source: Perú - Ministerio de Transporte y Comunicaciones (MTC)

En línea con lo dispuesto en el artículo 32 de la Resolución CRC 2355 de 2010 y en el artículo 12 de la Resolución CRC 2475 de 2010, la Comisión de Regulación de Comunicaciones publica para conocimiento del sector el acta de la Sesión de Constitución del Comité Técnico de Portabilidad – CTP, suscrita por los respectivos representantes legales o apoderados asistentes a la sesión llevada a cabo el 4 de marzo de 2010.
En forma complementaria, se publican las presentaciones realizadas en la citada Sesión, relacionadas con el Reglamento Interno del citado Comité, su Plan de Trabajo y las Mesas de Trabajo asociadas al mismo.

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Source: Colombia - Comision de Regulacion de Comunicaciones (CRC)

Federal regulators trying to bring high-speed Internet connections to all Americans will propose tapping the government program that now subsidizes telephone service in poor and rural areas. The Federal Communications Commission will include a proposal to revamp the Universal Service Fund as part of a national broadband plan due to Congress on March 17. Although the proposal itself has been expected for months, Friday's announcement offered the first solid details.

The FCC said it envisions transforming the Universal Service program over the next decade to pay for high-speed Internet access instead of the traditional voice services that it currently finances. The proposal would create a Connect America fund inside the Universal Service program to subsidize broadband, and a Mobility Fund to expand the reach of so-called 3G, or third-generation, wireless networks.

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Source: Cellular-news

The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) tonight (4 March 2010) mounted an enforcement operation against the suspected use of unlicensed radio transmitter for broadcasting at 101 MHz.

"Under the authority of a court warrant, OFTA officers entered the premises at Kwun Tong and seized one radio transmitter set. During the operation, one person was requested to assist further investigation," a spokesperson of OFTA said.

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Source: Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA)

El presidente del Consejo Directivo del Instituto Dominicano de las Telecomunicaciones (INDOTEL), negó categóricamente que en esa entidad se tenga la intención de dañar la imagen o la buena reputación de la Compañía Dominicana de Teléfonos, C. Por A. (CODETEL/CLARO).
El doctor José Rafael Vargas reiteró a la prensa que, en su sesión del 2 de marzo, el Consejo Directivo del órgano regulador de las telecomunicaciones ordenó solicitar a CODETEL/CLARO las informaciones correspondientes a los planes que aplicará a sus usuarios, para fines de compensación por las averías ocurridas en el servicio telefónico móvil GSM provisto por esa concesionaria, los días 15, 16 y 26 de febrero y 1 de marzo de 2010.

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Source: Santo Domingo - Consejo Directivo del Instituto Dominicano de las Telecomunicaciones (INDOTEL)

The European Commission has launched a consultation on strategic priorities for an EU radio spectrum policy programme for 2011-2015. Access to radio spectrum is essential for a huge range of activities from telephony and broadcasting through to transport and space applications. Wide and fair access to radio spectrum is crucial to ensure that EU citizens in both urban and rural areas can enjoy the benefits of digital technology. Better use of spectrum could also give Europe's economy a boost since rolling out fast wireless services would enhance competitiveness and growth. Industry, consumers and other stakeholders are invited to respond to the consultation by 9 April. A "Spectrum Summit" held jointly by the Commission and the European Parliament will take place on 22/23 March to discuss Europe's spectrum priorities.

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Source: Europa - Information Society

The European Commission has launched today the Europe 2020 Strategy to go out of the crisis and prepare EU economy for the next decade. The Commission identifies three key drivers for growth, to be implemented through concrete actions at EU and national levels: smart growth (fostering knowledge, innovation, education and digital society), sustainable growth (making our production more resource efficient while boosting our competitiveness) and inclusive growth (raising participation in the labour market, the acquisition of skills and the fight against poverty). This battle for growth and jobs requires ownership at top political level and mobilisation from all actors across Europe. Five targets are set which define where the EU should be by 2020 and against which progress can be tracked.

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Source: Europa - Information Society

A public consultation on what is the best approach to ensure that basic telecoms services are available for all EU citizens has been launched today by the European Commission. Current EU rules on universal service obligations for telecoms date from 2002 and guarantee that Europeans have access to public telephone networks and to services like basic internet access. The consultation launched today aims to see if these rules and definitions on universal service need to be updated for the digital age, and in particular if they should be extended to cover broadband access. Reactions from consumers, industry stakeholders, and policy experts will help the Commission decide if it needs to present new legislative proposals on universal service obligations for telecoms by end of 2010. The consultation will run until 7 May 2010.

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Source: Europa

Mexico's MVS Comunicaciones has lost its WiMAX operating license after the regulator chose not to renew it. The regulator argued that the company had not deployed a network as planned, although MVS Comunicaciones claimed that regulatory uncertainty had imperiled investment plans. However, the company was reported late last year to have secured an agreement with US based Clearwire to deploy a WiMAX network covering 23 Mexican cities. The roll out was expected to start in the second half of this year, with a launch some time in the fourth-quarter.

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Source: Cellular-news

La Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes acelera las medidas para promover una política de competencia, convergencia y cobertura en el sector telecomunicaciones. Así, trabaja simultáneamente en distintos frentes para asegurar la rectoría del Estado sobre el espectro radioeléctrico garantizando el uso eficiente del mismo, otorgar seguridad jurídica a los operadores y abatir el rezago existente en materia de concesiones y prórrogas.
- Acelera las medidas para promover una política de competencia, convergencia y cobertura en el sector telecomunicaciones
- Niega la prórroga de dos concesiones de TV restringida en los canales 46 y 52 en la ciudad de México
- Determina sancionar a TV Azteca y Televisora del Valle de México por la transmisión de un servicio de telecomunicaciones que no cuenta con concesión
- Niega la prórroga de nueve concesiones en la banda de 2.5 a 2.7 GHz.

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Source: Mexico - Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes  

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is contemplating to come up with a consultation paper on IMT-Advanced (4G) Mobile wireless broadband services. International Mobile Telecommunications-Advanced (IMT-Advanced) systems are mobile systems which include the new capabilities of IMT that go beyond those of IMT-2000. In other words, IMT-Advanced (or 4G) will see a progression beyond third-'generation (3G) technology. The new 4G networks will allow users to stream mobile multimedia, such as TV broadcasts and online games, with speeds up to 10 times than that of third-generation (3G) networks. Such systems provide access to a wide range of telecommunication services supported by mobile and fixed networks that are increasingly accessed using hand held devices.

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Source: TRAI India

From today, all Wireless@SG users will be able to enjoy faster and easier access at most Wireless@SG hotspots around the country. The free Wireless@SG service, with its access speeds doubled from 512 kbps to 1 Mbps in September 2009, will now be even easier to access with a new automatic log-in feature.
This new feature, called Seamless and Secure Access (SSA) enables an "always on" experience by automatically connecting and logging into the network when the user's device is at a Wireless@SG hotspot. This means users of the network would not have to re-enter their credentials each time they log-in, in order to access applications like VoIP, instant messaging and social networking.

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Source: IDA Singapore

Kenya's government has hinted that it might lower the cost of 3G licenses, as has been called for by the mobile networks. Currently, only Safaricom holds a 3G license after paying Sh1.9 billion (US$25 million) in 2007. Information Permanent Secretary Dr Bitange Ndemo told Capital FM, "We will do everything possible to ensure that we have created the necessary competitive environment, even if it means that we revise the cost to reasonable levels,". He added that the decision should be made in the next three weeks.

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Source: cellular-news

Heated discussions have been aroused by the recent widespread media coverage of the “Fair Usage Policies” (hereinafter referred to as “Policies”) on the unlimited usage of mobile broadband services implemented by mobile network operators.

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Source: OFTA Office of the Telecommunications Authority