L I R N E . N E T

John Ure, Director of the Telecommunications Research Project (TRP) at the Centre of Asian Studies of the University of Hong Kong, has edited a new book, Telecommunications Development in Asia, published by Hong Kong University Press.

Part One of this new book reviews global best practices across a range of key issues facing the industry, from regulation, competition policy and the provision of universal service, to interconnection between competing networks, the management of radio spectrum for the all-important wireless communications sector, and an assessment of innovation in the telecommunications equipment market. Part Two examines markets across the Asia Pacific region, exploring the themes of Part One through in-depth country studies. Policy and regulations, industry trends and markets are uniquely placed in their historical, economic and political context.

Click here to download the book flyer and order form.
Click here to order from Amazon.

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An Expert Forum on ICT Sector Indicators and Benchmark Regulation for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Regulatory Authorities is being organized by LIRNEasia, CONNECTasia FORUM and the International Development Research Centre of Canada (IDRC), 14-15 June 2008, Changi Village Hotel, Singapore. The focus of the Expert Forum is on using specific indicators to benchmark performance of the sector as well as the regulatory authority, and using indicator data to improve the performance of both. The latest results from LIRNEasia’s Asian Regulatory Web-site Survey, the Mobile and Broadband Price Benchmarks research and the Broadband Quality of Service Measurement research will be presented at the forum, and will set the background for broader discussion on benchmark regulation. The Asian ICT Indicators Database, developed by LIRNEasia funded by IDRC, will be introduced and hands-on training on using the database will be provided.

For further information, contact: asia[at]lirne.net

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A DIRSI forum on “Challenges for Regulation of Telecommunications in Ecuador” was attended by almost 100 government, industry and telecom sector stakeholders, on Wednesday, 26 March. During the event, Hugo Carrión (of Imaginar) presented “Regulation and Investment in Telecommunications: an Ecuador Case Study” The study provides an historical overview and analysis of the fixed and mobile telephony markets, and a review of the main developments in the Ecuadorian telecom sector in recent years. To apply the Telecommunications Regulatory Environment methodology for the study, 50 experts country experts were surveyed on their perceptions of the main regulatory aspects related to both fixed and mobile telephony.

Click here to download the full TRE study for Ecuador (in Spanish).

Click here to download the participant list, photos and media clippings for the event.

See also the TRE study for Peru (2007 - in Spanish).
Go to the DIRSI website.

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At the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 8th Global Symposium for Regulators, Six Degrees of Sharing: Innovative Infrastructure Sharing and Open Access Strategies to Promote Affordable Access for All, participants will discuss and debate a range of sharing strategies that have been grouped into the following categories: 1)basic/passive infrastructure sharing; 2) open access to international capacity; 3) business-sharing regulation; 4) active infrastructure sharing; 5) end-user sharing; and 6) policy and regulatory harmonization.

For the session on Sharing Fibre Networks, Tracy Cohen (Councillor of ICASA) and Russell Southwood (founder of Balancing Act) have prepared a paper “Extending Open Access to National Fibre Backbones in Developing Countries,” which examines regulatory, policy and practical approaches for open access architecture.

Go to the 8th Global Symposium for Regulators webpage.
Download the Extending Open Access paper from the ITU website.

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[12 February] Rohan Samarajiva of LIRNEasia will chair the Convergence in Regulation panel discussion at GSMA Third Annual Government Mobile Forum. This event is held as part of the GSMA Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, Spain, 11-14 February 2008.

Click here to go to the Mobile World Congress conference website.

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