1.
The ITU World Telecommunication
Policy Forum (WTPF) was established by Resolution 2 of the 1994 Kyoto
Plenipotentiary Conference and was confirmed by Resolution 2 of the 1998
Minneapolis Plenipotentiary Conference. The purpose is to provide a forum where
ITU Member States and Sector Members can discuss and exchange views and
information on emerging telecommunication policy and regulatory matters arising
from the changing telecommunication environment. Although the WTPF shall not
produce prescriptive regulatory outcomes or outputs with binding force, it
shall prepare reports and, where appropriate, opinions for consideration by
Member States, Sector Members and relevant ITU meetings.
PART II
OPINION
A
The general implications of IP Telephony
for the ITU Membership with respect to:
a)
the telecommunications policies and regulations of ITU Member
States;
b)
the implications of IP Telephony for developing countries,
particularly with respect to policies and regulatory frameworks, as well as
technical and economic aspects;
c)
the impact of IP Telephony on the operations of Sector Members,
notably in terms of the financial challenges and commercial opportunities it
presents.
The third World Telecommunication Policy Forum (Geneva, 2001),
considering
that, pursuant to the basic provisions of the ITU Constitution, that
each member State has the sovereign right to develop policies related to
telecommunications to meet its needs and objectives, and that the purposes of the Union include:
·
to maintain and extend international
cooperation among all members of the Union for the improvement and rational use
of telecommunications of all kinds;
·
to promote the development of
technical facilities and their most efficient operation with a view to
improving the efficiency of telecommunication services, increasing their
usefulness and making them, so far as possible, generally available to the
public;
·
to promote the extension of the
benefits of the new telecommunication technologies to all the world's
inhabitants,;
·
to facilitate the worldwide
standardization of telecommunications, with a satisfactory quality of service;
·
to foster collaboration among Member
States and Sector Members with a view to the establishment of rates at levels as
low as possible consistent with an efficient service and taking into account the
necessity for maintaining independent financial administration of
telecommunications on a sound basis,
a) that the
deployment of IP-based networks and applications has the potential to benefit
users, industries, and the economy at large, because it fosters technical and
market innovation, and diversity and growth in the economy; not forgetting the
potential of upgrading of existing communication networks through use of other
new technologies;
b) that
these new enhanced communication capabilities may be essential for the
development of other service sectors, and for the production and distribution
of goods in the global economy as a whole;
c) that
IP-based applications are likely to become more readily available at
cost-effective prices, for the benefit of all users and industries, particularly
when supplied under competitive market conditions in which multiple, alternative
sources or means are available to address user and industry needs;
d) that
IP Telephony and other IP-based applications could be viewed as a significant
opportunity for all countries to respond to the convergence of information and
communication technologies and evolve their networks in order to expand the
availability and use of a broader range of modern communication capabilities,
noting (implications for operators)
a) the
continued development of the Internet and IP-based networks as a significant
medium for communications and commerce;
b) that
the flexibility of IP technologies will contribute to an integration of voice
and data networks, thereby allowing suppliers to take advantage of synergies
and possible cost reductions, which will enable the provision of new innovative
services and applications for the benefit of all citizens;
c) that
networks that can support IP Telephony are being designed with a variety of
core network and access technologies and capabilities, including wireless
technologies;
d) that
mobile wireless systems are expected to migrate towards an IP-based
architecture in order to deliver integrated voice, data and multimedia
services, as well as access to the Internet;
e) that
Sector Members face both challenges and opportunities during this transition to
a market-driven industry,
conscious (implications for government policies and
regulation)
a) that
Member States pursue policies that seek to:
(i) attract
capital investment so as to fund infrastructure that serves users and society
as a whole;
(ii) stimulate
innovation in order that applications and products that meet the needs of
people can be offered in the marketplace;
(iii) exploit the synergies between capital investment and innovation so
as to promote sustainable economic development that can attract further
investment and create the environment necessary to promote more innovation;
b) that
Member States have national public policy goals in the telecommunication sector,
including universal access and service, competitive markets, technology
innovation and transfer of technical know-how, and the development of human
resources, in addition to public interest goals (for example, access to emergency services,
security and privacy);
c)that IP Telephony has created
some negative impacts on voice revenues generated by a number of communication
operators, particularly in some developing countries; there could also be a
revenue gain for other communication operators and service providers,;
d) that
the dynamic growth of IP-based networks, applications and services has been due
to a combination of private and public sector investment and innovation, and an effective competitive environment;
e) that initiatives
and policies dealing with IP-based networks would benefit from input from users
(consumers and business organizations),
is of the view
a) that
IP Telephony applications are best supplied in a market in which consumers
have choices among multiple, alternative sources or means to address their
needs, because only then will citizens, businesses and the overall economy reap
the benefits of innovation and cost effectiveness;
b) that government
regulation should aim to foster an effective competitive environment and that
regulation may be appropriate where there is market failure or when public
interests cannot be adequately met by industry (e.g. universal access and
service); for some countries, there may be other reasons for regulators to
intervene, for example to ensure the rebalancing of tariffs;
c) that
Member States should examine the implications of applying existing regulatory
regimes to IP-based services and applications,
invites
1 Member
States and Sector Members to consider the possibility of the introduction and
deployment of IP technologies and IP applications, including the exchange
of information;
2 all
Member States to review their current regulatory frameworks with a view to:
ii) achieving public policy goals in the context of a converged
communication services environment;
iii) considering the possibility of opening their communication
services market with respect to IP Telephony by adopting a competition-oriented
approach in order to achieve clearly defined public policy goals, taking into
account, among other things, the concept of technology neutrality for
fully-substitutable services.
OPINION
B
Actions to assist Member
States and Sector Members in adapting to the changes
in the telecommunication environment due to the emergence of IP Telephony,
including analysing the current situation (e.g. by case studies) and
formulating
possible cooperative actions involving Member States and
Sector Members to facilitate adaptation to the new environment
The third World Telecommunication Policy Forum (Geneva, 2001),
considering
that,
for several years, technology analysts have observed a tendency for telephony
services and other forms of communications to converge and that, in recent
years, IP appears to have emerged as one of the possible unifying platforms,
noting
a)
that some global telecommunications
operators have announced that they are migrating their traffic to IP-based
platforms;
conscious
b)
that emerging IP technologies offer
opportunities for the development of new multimedia applications, including
voice;
c)
that deployment of such
technologies may offer particular benefits to small and medium-sized
enterprises,
encourages
Member States
to share
experiences in developing new methodologies and approaches that recognize the
market conditions of advanced technologies, such as IP Telephony, including,
but not limited to:
(i) approaches
towards making any sector-specific regulation technology-neutral;
(ii) the application of domestic competition laws as part of a
pro-competitive policy designed to establish a level playing field;
(iii) establishing sustainable bases to generate financing for universal
access/service,
invites
the Secretary-General and the Directors of the Bureaux
1 to
promote understanding of the potential benefits of IP-based technologies and IP
applications and, within existing budgetary resources, to assist Member States
and Sector Members, particularly in developing countries:
(i) by updating previous IP Telephony case studies and carrying
out further country case studies, as required;
(ii) by carrying out cost studies and establishing a process to assist
members in performing cost-benefit analyses in order to plan for investment in
converged telecommunication networks on IP platforms, on request;
(iii) by helping to attract investment and promoting the use of
international lending, such as attractive, flexible, low-interest, long-term
loan arrangements, and donor organization resources,
2 in
the pursuit of the above, to conduct regional workshops in partnership with
Member States and Sector Members, and concerned regional telecommunication
organisations, complementing existing ITU activities, on the following basis:
·
The workshops should provide forums
on:
(i) how
telecommunication infrastructure build-out and the evolution of existing
networks can be facilitated by deployment of IP-based technologies;
(ii) technologies
that can support IP Telephony;
(iii) how to create an environment that will attract investment in
infrastructure development;
(iv) issues such as cost structures, pricing
mechanisms, interconnection, numbering, quality of service and market
considerations, etc.
·
ITU may call upon
voluntary contributions from Member States, Sector Members and other industry
participants to support such activities..
·
The workshops should
bring together regulators, government officials responsible for economic
development and telecommunication issues, incumbent and new entrant network
operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), equipment suppliers, consumers
and consumer organizations.
OPINION C
Actions to assist Member States and Sector Members in meeting the
human resource development challenges presented by new telecommunications
technologies such as IP Telephony, in particular skill shortages and the
need for education, and technology transfer
considering
a) that the purposes
of the Union include promoting the extension of the benefits of new
telecommunication technologies, encouraging continued participation by the
private sector in telecommunication development, offering technical assistance
in the field of telecommunications, and promoting the mobilization of the
material, human and financial resources needed for implementation of
telecommunication systems;
b) that Council-2000
requested that action be taken to assist Member States and Sector Members in
meeting the human resources development challenges presented by new
telecommunication technologies such as voice over IP,
recognizing
a)
that economic, social, technical and
regulatory environments are changing in the context of ongoing
telecommunication and information technology developments;
b) that transition to an IP environment
places new demands on the management and operation of Member States and Sector
Members as well as other private entities;
c) that
these new challenges need to be addressed by ITU, and in particular ITU‑D/BDT,
which plays a crucial role in assisting countries that are developing and
building institutional, physical and organizational telecommunication capacity,
further recognizing
a) that the speed
with which countries can extend the benefits of telecommunication technologies
will depend on their ability to deploy skilled personnel who are able to meet
the operational and policy challenges stemming from the new environment;
b) that, in today's environment of
globalization, shortages of skilled personnel and the absence of comprehensive
human resources policies are impeding the transition to a new
IP environment in all countries;
c) that
technology transfer from Sector Members and Member States may help reduce the
knowledge gap, although the problem is exacerbated by the “brain-drain",
encourages
Member States and Sector Members to take into account
that training and
education of a broad range of people benefits individuals, the communications
system, communities and the economy as a whole, in particular, training and
education for staff members of small and medium-sized communication
enterprises, and keeping gender perspectives in consideration;
invites the ITU, particularly ITU-D
to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and views, by Member States and
Sector Members, of global trends in all new technologies, in particular IP
applications, including the activities of other standardisation bodies,
infrastructure development, IP-based services and applications, and regulatory
activities and policies.
invites ITU-D
1 to encourage
Member States and Sector Members to create integrated human resources
transition plans for new technologies, business operations and regulatory and
policy activities;
2 to assist Member
States and Sector Members in evaluating and identifying new and changing human
resources requirements in order to meet the challenges of an evolving
communications environment;
3 to draw upon
existing BDT research and skilled personnel to identify:
(i) HRD/HRM
and training issues related to network evolution;
(ii) HRD/HRM
and training issues related to new technologies, including IP;
(iii) skills leading to the
creation of a business environment that will attract infrastructure investment,
invites ITU-T and ITU-R
to collaborate with and assist the Director of BDT in creating the
technical training components of ITU-D workshops, seminars, training projects,
and modules,
invites Sector Members
to suggest, initiate, and/or participate in ITU-D human resources
development and infrastructure investment programmes,
invites Sector Members and Member States
to work with educational
institutions, NGOs and other organizations in order to draw upon resources,
studies and expertise and to collaborate in assisting countries with training,
resource retention and other HRD/HRM issues,
invites the Secretary-General and the three Directors
1 to
disseminate widely information on the urgent need for the United Nations and
Member States to review and develop policies that lead to:
i)
recognition of the
widespread opportunities for people skilled in information and
telecommunication technologies;
ii)
widespread
training and education of all levels of their citizens, taking account of human
factor aspects, in all domains of information and telecommunications
technologies;
2 to encourage
Associates and in particular the academic community to become actively involved
in knowledge sharing and skills development;
3 to develop virtual
capabilities for global knowledge-sharing, training and skills development;
4 to co-ordinate
with regional telecommunication entities in identifying and developing
programmes to advance regional skills bases.
OPINION D
Essential studies by the
ITU to facilitate the introduction of “IP telephony”,
including inter-operability considerations and implications, when implementing
“IP telephony” in association with the existing circuit-switched national
and international telecommunications network in developing countries
The third World Telecommunication Policy Forum (Geneva, 2001),
considering
a) that important technical,
economic and regulatory decisions are essential, by developing countries in
order to introduce “IP telephony”;.
b) that the ITU Sectors should
undertake further studies to facilitate the introduction of “IP telephony”
by analysing inter-operability and interconnection issues with existing
circuit-switched telecommunication networks, especially in the developing
countries in order for them to take the proper decisions in due course,.
invites the three ITU Sectors
each,
for matters within its competence, and based on contributions from ITU Member
States and Sector Members, to initiate new studies or pursue current ones, and
to present any findings as soon as possible,
to facilitate the introduction of “IP telephony” on a global basis,
particularly with respect to:
1. in ITU-R,
compatibility
and inter-operability of radio access between IP networks and PSTNs,
2. in ITU-T,
a) a clear working definition of “IP telephony”
and “Internet telephony”;
b) whether, and to what extent:
i) to require compatibility of “IP
telephony” with the existing international telephone service and not place
additional requirements on existing circuit-switched international networks;
ii) compatibility should also include, but not be
limited to, aspects of performance metrics, and other aspects as detailed in
the relevant ITU-T Recommendations, in particular those on quality of service;
c) whether, and to what extent: