New focus group explores cost models for affordable data services

ITU News

The newest focus group formed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) aims to build clarity around the best cost models to determine appropriate prices for data services.

Success in this can help to boost digital inclusion, in line with ITU’s mission to ensure that advances in technology benefit everyone, everywhere.

Open to all interested experts, the ITU Focus Group on Cost Models for Affordable Data Services will report to ITU’s standardization expert group for economic and policy issues, ITU-T Study Group 3.

Its first meeting takes place in New Delhi, India, on 5-6 October, following an ITU workshop on 4 October on cost models for data services and international Internet connectivity. Register to participate online.

The workshop and meeting will refine the group’s priorities and establish a focus group structure appropriate to these priorities.

Building the business case

ITU-T Study Group 3 provides a key venue to strengthen ties between technical innovation, business needs, and economic and policy requirements.

As ITU’s primary expert group for costing principles and methodologies, the study group fosters collaboration to achieve rates that are as fair and low as possible. The rapid evolution of digital technology makes this a challenge.

As supply chains become increasingly complex, cost models must keep pace with changing market realities.

The new focus group aims to identify the components of Internet value chains that affect the cost of data services. In benchmarking the best practices for modelling the costs of affordable data services, it will account for both commercial interests and the public interest.

Ultimately, it aims to promote affordable data services while delivering the business case for providing them.

The focus group is led by Chair Shailendra Mishra, from the Ministry of Communications of India, and Vice-Chair Hilda Mutseyekwa, from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.

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