| D.2-1 Policy and regulatory frameworks. |
| D.2-2 Telecommunication/ICT networks, including conformance and interoperability and bridging the standardization gap. |
| D.2-3 Innovation and partnership. |
D.2-1 Policy and regulatory frameworks
(PP Decisions 5, 13, PP Resolutions 25, 71, 102, 135, 138, 154, 165, WTDC Resolutions: 1, 9, 17, 21, 23, 30, 32, 43, 48, 62) ITU held regional economic and financial fora for Africa (Sao Tomé 2-5 April 2015), Latin America and the Caribbean (Nassau, 20-24 April 2015), and Asia and Pacific (Kuala Lumpur, 28 September-2 October 2015), in order to increase enhanced dialogue and knowledge between national regulators, policy-makers and other Telecommunication/ICT stakeholders on regulatory, economic and financial issues and improve decision-making on policy and regulatory issues and enable conducive policy, legal and regulatory environment for the ICT sector in all regions.
The Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) and its pre-events held in Gabon (9-11 June 2015) welcomed around 400 senior international policy-makers from over 60 countries. GSR-15 culminated in the adoption of the 2015 GSR Best Practice Guidelines that were disseminated to all GSR-15 participants.
Several events and trainings/workshops were successfully organized/conducted during 2015 in relation to ICT regulatory and policy environment, International Mobile Roaming, Cost modelling and pricing, National Broadband Plans, Universal access and service, Quality of Service, Licensing, economic and social impact of ICTs and different business models, infrastructure sharing, consumer protection, Interconnection Regulation in IP based Environment, and Terrestrial TV broadcasting.
Direct assistance was also provided during the course of 2015 concerning the regulatory framework, the harmonization of ICT Policies, National Policy, Strategy and Guidelines in the area of Data Protection, and economic and financial regulatory functions, along with many others.
Global, regional and national research and analysis on telecommunications/ICTs regulatory, economic, financial, and market issues was carried out, and knowledge sharing provided to regions and countries to foster improved decision making through discussion papers, thematic reports and portals, platforms and discussions on topical issues for policy-makers, regulators, and private sector to address policy, regulatory, economic and financial issues.
D.2-2 Telecommunication/ICT networks, including conformance and interoperability and bridging the standardization gap
(PP Decisions 5, 13, PP Resolutions 25, 71, 101, 123, 176, 177, 178, 203, WTDC Resolutions: 1, 9, 10, 17, 21, 23, 30, 32, 43, 47, 48, 62)Several major events were organized in 2015, including the international symposium “A milestone for Digital Terrestrial Television”, the ITU Arab Regional Forum on Future Networks, the GSMA-ITU Digital Societies Policy Forum, and the ITU International Satellite Symposium.
The ITU Interactive Transmission Maps (for broadband backbone optical fibre, microwave links and Satellite Earth Stations as well as Submarine Cables) have been continuously updated and made available
online. The plan for including IXPs on the ITU Interactive Transmission Maps is ongoing.
The Digital Switch-Over database was also made available. SMS4DC software was further developed.
The new report on Implementation of Evolving Telecommunication/ICT Infrastructure for Developing Countries was finalized and presented as an input document at the ITU-D SGs meeting in September 2015.
Test Lab Guidelines and
Complete Guidelines for Establishing Conformity and Interoperability Regimes at national and/or regional level have been made available online. Assessment studies to promote the establishment of a common C&I programme through development of MRAs and/or building laboratories were finalized during 2015 for UMA, EAC and COMTELCA regions. As follow up of the studies, countries agreed to establish Expert/Ministerial committees for finalizing the MRA for integration. UMA, EAC and COMTELCA Secretariats will call for Experts/Ministerial meetings early 2016.
The ITU/Craig and Susan McCaw Broadband Wireless Network project for providing low-cost broadband connectivity and developing ICT applications for schools and hospitals has been implemented in several African and Arab countries.
Many trainings and workshops were organized, such as: Training Courses on C&I Testing and procedures; Efficient Use of Spectrum; the ITU Arab regional training workshop on the SMS4DC; the ITU-NBTC workshop on “Cross-Border frequency coordination”; the Regional Workshop on Satellite Coordination in collaboration with BR; a seminar and training event for Pacific island countries on broadcasting issues; the ITU Regional Radiocommunication seminar 2015 for CIS/Eastern Europe countries in collaboration with BR; the ITU Regional Workshop for CIS on Optimal Solutions to the Provision of Broadband Access (BBA) in Small and Medium-sized Settlements; and the CIS/Europe Regional workshop on Spectrum Management and Transition from Analogue to Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting.
Also provided during the course of 2015 was: Direct assistance concerning the National Internet Exchange Point; C&I assessment; IPv6 deployment and IPv6 Infrastructure security; broadband connectivity in schools located in remote, rural or underserved areas; frequency planning; Spectrum Management Master Plans; smoothly transitioning from analogue to digital terrestrial television broadcasting; and many others.
D.2-3 Innovation and partnership
(PP Decisions 5, 13, PP Resolutions 25, 71, 72, WTDC Resolutions: 1, 5, 30, PP-14 Decisions 5, 13)Several events were held, such as: two WSIS Innovation dialogues on ICT innovation ecosystems and key agents of innovation (incubators, accelerators, and entrepreneurs); the Knowledge Exchange Forum for Asia-Pacific and beyond (DSDS 2015); and the Asia-Pacific regional forum on universal access and service and broadband deployment.
The innovation capacity of ITU-D by promoting creativity methodologies via three innovation dialogues has been carried out with aims of retaining and recruiting new ITU-D membership; enhancing participation of private sector in ITU-D activities; and fostering ICT entrepreneurship, youth employment, and digital inclusion with the Arab States association of Techno Park and incubators.
Two primary tools have been developed for innovation: an innovation platform (innovation.itu.int) aimed as a knowledge sharing and communication platform for demand-driven ICT innovation in the ICT ecosystem; and a co-creation tool (cocreate.itu.int) aimed at facilitating co-creation and innovation competitions for membership.
A Stocktaking report on European ICT incubators and accelerators was released.
Forty-one new partnership agreements were signed in 2015. Sixteen new ITU-D Sector Members and two Associates joined during this period.
