Where to from now? How do we address the gaps to strengthen the foundations for digital transformation and better build back?

- Addressing the financing gaps:

- Balancing innovative financing mechanisms and funding models: sustainable policy measures, business and partnership models, and policy – regulatory and fiscal incentives

- Affordability of access: Community driven approaches to extend digital infrastructure

- Addressing the infrastructure and technology gaps:

- Mapping connectivity requirements and technologies for greater efficiency, preparedness and universal connectivity - Emerging technologies for sustainable and environmental-friendly smart world: how can regulation foster innovation and adoption of emerging technologies?

- Addressing the policy and regulatory gaps:

- What strategic framework is needed for digital transformation addressing the new realities? - Experimentation for innovation and investment: new deal, special authorizations, regulatory sandboxes, lessons learned from COVID-19 and new practices for adopting to new normal

Special focus will be dedicated to the role of NRAs in shaping an enabling environment for the development of resilient and secure digital connectivity for all. COVID-19 crisis has emphasised, as perhaps nothing else could have, the vital importance of connectivity and of extending affordable access to as many people as possible, as fast as we can. Discussion, amongst may other topics will touch upon collaborative regulation, spectrum management, digital safety, as well as inclusiveness.

The GSR-20 ​​Regional Regulatory Roundtable for Asia and the Pacific will be held as a webdialogue on 30 July 2020 from 14:00 until 16h30 (Bangkok) under the theme of " D​​igital Transformation for Digital Economies @COVID-19 South-Asia". The webdialogue will be organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), in partnerrship with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the GSM Association (GSMA), and aims at engaging representatives of the National Regulatory Authorities and other stakeholders from South Asia to advance discussions on regulation for digital transformation in the post​-COVID-19 era.

Amidst an unprecedented crisis of COVID-19, digital technologies offer the only opportunity for governments, individuals and businesses to cope with social distancing, ensure business continuity, and prevent service interruptions. This web dialogue will help regulators, policymakers and industry to better understand the digital transformation that is taking place and tools to create a policy environment that enables their economies and societies to prosper in a world that is increasingly digital and data-driven.

The speakers will highlight digital strategies and innovative solutions adopted in response to connectivity challenges and needs of all kinds that have emerged amid the crisis. An open discussion with all participants will explore the related challenges, opportunities and lessons learned in the form of an interactive discussion by eminent panellists and open discussion with participants.

The Meeting will also provide a unique opportunity to discuss the GSR-20 consultation leading towards adoption of the GSR-20 Best Practice Guidelines, being an outcome document of the Global Symposium for Regulators, in particular​ the regional point of view that might be reflected in the 2020 edition of the Guidelines. (See BDT/DKH​​​/RME/DM/150).

The Meeting will be held in English will also benefit from captioning services. In case of any queries, please do not hesitate to contact sameer.sharma@itu.int

This sessions aims at discussing as to how can the countries be better prepared and are the strategies for connectivity good enough. Sharing country experiences in addressing the following issues:

• What is the total spectrum allocated and how does it compare with rest of the world?
• What is the per MHz/POP price of the last spectrum allocation?
• Reasons for suboptimal spectrum allocation and high price?
• What are the strategies related to Infrastructure sharing and fibre deployment and reducing the cost of right of way?
• What are the connectivity initiatives related to rural areas?
• What are the licensing policies related to community networks?
• How are the policies being changed in response to COVID-19?
• Country cases , real deployment experiences and vision for future plan

• What is the IMT2020 (5G) roadmap and is it considered a luxury or a requirement?
• Do the speakers think that they have the whole of the government approach towards connectivity in their country?
• It is clear that fixed wireless and Fiber connectivity will be very important during and after COVID 19? What steps are being taken to improve fixed broadband connectivity?
• What are the immediate steps, short term measures and long term strategy?
• What are the licensing policies related to community networks and other innovative ideas for rural connectivity

This webinar is organized within the framework of GSR-20 and aims at engaging representatives of the National Regulatory Authorities as well as other stakeholders from the Africa and Arab regions to advance discussions on Competition Policy and Analysis in a Digital Apps environment. ​

This session will provide an analysis of the ICTs competition policy and regulation and the foundation for understanding the rules of competition and the regulatory powers that apply to the telecommunications sector, considering the wider competitive landscape that now includes digital platforms. In the Arab and Africa regions the important technological trends of digitalization and of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) are very diverse due to different levels of development both between and within Arab and Africa countries. These differences are represented by the level of infrastructure development, ICTs services penetration rates, economic conditions, ICTs contribution to job market, adequate ICTs policies and regulation specifically for Least Developing Countries (LDCs). Discussions and reports to be presented at the webinar will aim to build knowledge and skills of ICT policy makers, regulators, industry and academia and provide them with the necessary policy and regulation tools to address competition issues in a digital applications environment with emphasis on two-sided and multi-sided markets.

The speakers will highlight digital strategies and innovative solutions adopted in terms of competition policy and analysis in a Digital Apps Environment​. An open discussion with all participants will explore the related challenges, opportunities and lessons learned in the form of an interactive discussion by eminent panellists and open discussion with participants.​ The Meeting will also provide a unique opportunity to discuss the GSR-20 consultation leading towards adoption of the GSR-20 Best Practice Guidelines, being an outcome document of the Global Symposium for Regulators, in particular​ the regional point of view that might be reflected in the 2020 edition of the Guidelines. (See BDT/DKH​​​/RME/DM/150).

• The global and regional perspectives - including an analysis of global and regional digital players in Arab and Africa regions
• Implications at national level​

• Developments in Regional Associations (EACO and ARTAC, WATRA, CRASA) - what are regional frameworks and trends?
• Country Case studies from Arab and Africa region

• Summary of discussions and concluding remarks ​​

Ahead of the 20th Edition of the ITU’s Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-20) the USTTI and ITU will team up to provide regulatory officials with a behind the scenes look at the work taking place to prepare for the deployment and usage of emerging technologies. The webinar will be run by subject matter experts.

Spectrum Planning for Emerging Technologies

As the competing demands for spectrum access intensify, Ronald Repasi, the Acting Chief of the United States Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC), Office of Engineering and Technology will talk about work the FCC has been doing in pursuing both exclusive use and shared spectrum allocations among various services and technologies. The training will also walk through several examples to highlight the FCC’s continued pursuit of greater spectrum access for all types of services and technologies.

Additionally, information will be shared on Dynamic Spectrum Sharing technology and how it opens the door for operators to seamlessly transition from 4G to 5G networks. Speakers will discuss how this technology functions and how it can speed the path for operators to move from 4G to 5G.

REGISTER HERE

Ahead of the 20th Edition of the ITU’s Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-20) the USTTI and ITU will team up to provide regulatory officials with a behind the scenes look at the work taking place to prepare for the deployment and usage of emerging technologies. The webinar will be run by subject matter experts.

Technological Underpinnings of Emerging Technologies

Get a “behind the scenes" view of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and the Edge. This session will discuss artificial intelligence from hardware to software capabilities and real-world applications across multiple usage scenarios, as well as provide an overview of IoT and the Edge. We will explore the latest technologies and standards underpinning this landscape and how they interact with key policy and regulatory trends.

REGISTER HERE

This year the Regulatory Associations (RA) Meeting took place virtually on 31 August 2020 from 13h00 PM until 16h00 PM CEST during the 20th Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-20). The RA meeting was chaired by Mr Michel van Bellinghen, incoming BEREC Chairman.

The Regulatory Associations Meeting at GSR-20 provided a unique platform for Regulatory Associations to share experiences and knowledge, to discuss how they can collaborate, and to identify means to build back better in a post-COVID digital ecosystem, and bring affordable, safe, secure and trusted connectivity and online access and use to people in their respective regions.

The topic for discussion this year focused on the role of regional and international organizations and collaboration at regional level in a post-COVID World to address the challenges of Building Back Better. In addition, regional regulatory associations were also able to share on their activities since last GSR-19.

Against the backdrop of COVID-19 and on the occasion of GSR-2020, IAGDI-CRO organized this meeting to provide a platform for the participants to exchange ideas on how industry and private Sector in the ICT Sector exchange views on the impact of COVID-19 in their operations and explore ways of how industry and regulators could work together to address connectivity challenges and find innovative ways of addressing these challenges so as to ensure that the world continues to reliably communicate.

This meeting addressed critical questions and proposed ways forward, from the industry’s perspective, on the business and regulatory landscape challenges and shifts during COVID-19, shared innovative collaborative approaches being explored; regulatory challenges, lessons learned and investment gaps and new partnership approaches within the context of revised growth forecasts for the global economy.

• ​​How to bring affordable, safe, secure and trusted connectivity and online access and use to people in their respective regions.​

• Mandate and Role of ICT/telecommunications regulators in a post COVID digital ecosystem
• The digital evolution and changing regulatory functions, capacity, skills, and tool: are regulators sufficiently equipped to face the new realities and digital transformation?
• What does collaboration look like: with policy makers, with other regulators, across the sectors, with a wide range of stakeholders
• Autonomy and independence: rule-making in a collaborative world
• 20 years of sector transformation and competition: moving towards evidence-based decision making
• Collaborative regulators in action: the case of digital financial services

• From ex-ante to ex-post regulation: are we there yet?
• Transparent, competitive, and non-discriminatory markets and access to facilities and services: Is a level playing field among all digital players still possible? Are co-creation of regulation and partnerships the answer?
• Integrating the verticals and emerging technologies:  a changing competitive landscape
• Interconnection, interoperability, and open access
• Competing for data, a need for data-based regulation and co-regulation
• Incentives for sustainable competitive frameworks fostering inclusion, innovation, and investment, lessons learned from COVID-19

• Spectrum use for temporary emergency situations: lessons learned from COVID-19
• The role of spectrum in the digital transformation process
• Spectrum valuation as an economic and social tool: Up-front public revenues or broader network deployment for greater access?
• Are fees and taxes for spectrum an impediment to new deployment? 
• Spectrum licensing principles for new services (e.g. 5G) and non-traditional networks

• Keeping infrastructure, networks, people and things safe and secured at all times: preparedness measures for policy consideration and risk mitigation taking into consideration lessons learned from the pandemic
• Building a secure and trusted digital ecosystem: understanding cyber threats, collaborative security
• Safety online and cyber resilience: Who is in charge?
• Trusted digital identity for safe online use: the role of the regulator
• Regulatory initiatives for protecting children online post covid-19
• Consumer engagement in digital societies: expanding trusted e-services and use (data privacy, data ownership, security risks and intellectual property rights)
• The need for multistakeholder (public-private) global and regional collaboration

• Policy measures and regulatory tools to support inclusion of everyone including persons with disabilities, in the digital age.
• Innovative approaches to facilitate digital transformation process for everyone.
• Ensuring access to basic and specialized ICT education and training programs for all (including e-learning tools) to leave no one behind.