Dialogue: Regulatory Frameworks for Improving Access
What key actions could telecom and ICT regulators undertake to promote access to infrastructure at local, international and regional levels?
This dialogue is being undertaken in preparation for the “Regulatory Frameworks for Improving Access” workshop co-hosted by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and Learning Initiatives on Reforms for Network Economies (LIRNE.NET), and at this year’s Internet Governance Forum. The workshop will explore the key regulatory issues and imperatives in promoting equitable deployment and affordable access to internet (communications) infrastructure at local, national, regional and global levels.
Send dialogue comments for posting to
<dialogue [at] regulateonline.org>.
Click here to go to the Dialogue webpage to read comments. Background
Regulation is how policies are put into practice. However, experience has shown that there is not necessarily a trouble-free transition from the conceptual to the real world. For telecom (and other sectors) despite expectations of market solutions to improve infrastructure development and deployment, there are still substantial access gaps beyond the reach of the market, especially in rural areas.
LIRNE.NET and APC invite internet and telecom practitioners, ICT policy and regulation experts, and other stakeholders to submit short (200-500 words) statements on what they identify as the key issues and important factors currently facing regulators concerned with access to infrastructure. Statements can focus on local, national or regional access and can also highlight solutions that have been already implemented to resolve existing issues and challenges. Comments which address the following are particularly welcomed:
- Whose jurisdiction? The role of regulation in addressing the international gap - international backbone infrastructure deployment and interconnection.
- Issues and/or challenges in regulating regional (cross-national) communications infrastructure.
- Trade-off or complementary objectives? Regulating for infrastructure investment and/or regulating for equitable access.
- Access at the local level - definition of universal access and mechanisms for attainment.
Dialogue question:
What key actions could telecom and ICT regulators undertake to promote access to infrastructure atapclogo2.jpg local, international and regional levels?
Send dialogue comment for posting to <dialogue@regulateonline.org>.
Internet Governance Forum (IGF)
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF), a medium for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue, was set up in 2006 as a direct response to the deliberations of the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS). The forum was created to (amongst other things) discuss public policy issues related to key elements of Internet governance in order to foster the sustainability, robustness, security, stability and development of the Internet. The second meeting of the IGF will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 12 - 15 November 2007.
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November 1st, 2007 at 14:08
African Information Society Initiative - African Minister’s meeting in Kigali.
Not sure if you’ve already received his notice from Afrispa/Bellanet about the meeting but in case you haven’t it is very pertinent to your dialogue. What it does not include is an agreement, according to an interview with the South African Communications Director General, Lyndall Shope Mafole on SAFM radio current affairs programme on 30 October from Kigali, amongst the Ministers to ensuring that all cable landing on the continent must have a majority African shareholding.With the capital shortage on the continent this is likely to inhibit investment and competition in international bandwidth and in most countries retain the high cost of incumbent provisioning.
“The Connect Africa Summit justed ended in Kigali with the following five major goals;
Goal 1. Interconnect all African capitals with ICT Broadband infrastructure and strengthen connectivity to the rest of the world by 2012 as well as interconnect major African cities by 2015.
Goal 2. Connect all African villages to broadband ICT services by 2012 and implement shared access initiatives such as community tele-centres and village phones.
Goal 3. Adopt key regulatory measures that promote affordable, widespread access to a full range of bradband ICT services, including technology and service neutral licensing/authorisation practises, allocating spectrum for multiple, competitive broadband wireless service providers, creating national internext exchange points (IXPs) and implementing competition in the provision of international internet connectivity.
Goal 4. Support the development of a critical mass of ICT Skills required by the knowledge economy, notably through the estamishment of ICT Centres of Excellence network in each sub-region of Africa and ICT capacity-building and training centres in each country, with the aim of achieving a borad network of inter-linked physical and virtual centres, whiles ensuring coordination between academia and industry by 2015.
Goal 5. Adopt a national e-strategy, including a cyber-security framework, and deploy at least one flagship e-government service as well as e-education, e-commerce and e-health services using accessible technologies in each country in Africa by 2012, with the aim of making multiple e-government and other e-services widely available by 2015.
The African ICT Ministers have also shortlisted some projects under ARAPKE which would be implenented through Connect Africa @ http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/connect/africa/2007/bgdmaterial/flagship-11.html
It is important that we all engage and ensure that these ICT goals are met by 2012 and the larger MDGS by 2015.
Thank you and sorry for cross-posting.
Eric M.K Osiakwan
Executive Secretary
AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org)
Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031
Fax: + 233.21.258811
Cell: + 233.244.386792
Handle: eosiakwan
Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North
Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North
Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/
Slang: “Tomorrow Now”
July 28th, 2008 at 15:05
[...] by APC; a joint APC-LIRNE-IDRC session for the 2007 Internet Governance Forum in Rio; and an online dialogue hosted by LIRNE and [...]