The 6th Economic Experts Roundtable convened by the ITU in June 2020 concluded that the digital infrastructure sector needed to re-examine some of the digital sector basic fundamental premises that were held before COVID-19. In particular, the experts stated that it was crucial for governments to learn from the lessons of the pandemic and take concrete, actionable measures in the telecommunication sector to enable operators to provide universal access to quality digital infrastructure networks for all and support the development of a digital economy. In this context, regulatory frameworks need to be adjusted to stimulate investment whilst maintaining a “sensible” level of competition, shifting from a “purist” to a “pragmatic” viewpoint on State aid regulations. 

In line with this conclusion, the 7th Economic Experts Roundtable was convened on February 2021 to understand and take stock further on some of the changes and potential funding challenges within the telecommunications sector in the post-COVID 19 world. The discussions focused on the following questions:

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The findings and conclusions of this Economic Experts Roundtable are compiled as a concise and actionable report for ICT policy makers, regulators, industry decision makers and other stakeholder. It is available now as the ITU Outcome Report on telecommunication industry in the post​-COVID-19 World.