Challenges for Regulators: Some ITU Resources

1. Challenges for Regulators:Some ITU Resources Connect 2001Cancun, October 16-18, 2001 Robert Shaw <robert.shaw@itu.int> ITU Internet Strategy and Policy Advisor International Telecommunication Union The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of the ITU or its membership.

2. Changing Regulatory Environment • The world now numbers 102 separate regulatory bodies, up from 30 in 1994 • New regulators striving to increase their knowledge to bemore effective • All regulators – both well established and new –struggling to address changes resulting from convergence of information and communication (ICT) industries

3. ITU Strategy and Policy Unit Activities • http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/ • Some of our activities: • Electronic Signatures and Certification Authorities • IP Telephony • Fixed Mobile Interconnect • Broadband • 3G Licensing • Multilingual Domain Name System (joint with WIPO, Dec 6-7, 2001 after GSR) • Trust in Critical Network Infrastructures (May 2002 in Seoul, Korea)

4. ITU-D BDT Sector Reform Unit • See http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/ • Country Case Studies on Effective Regulation • ITU Member States request information and models with regard to independence and operation of regulatory agencies • Country case studies are useful tools to understand different approaches • With assistance of Member States, ITU prepares and publishes case studies on how administrations established regulatory bodies and the results

5. Effective Regulation Case Studies • 2001 Case Studies at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Case_Studies/ • Morocco • Peru • Botswana • Brazil • Singapore

6. Global Symposium for Regulators • The second Annual Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) will be held in Geneva from 3-5 December 2001. • Forum for world’s regulators to share experiences and learn from each other experiences • This year dedicated to topic of regulatory independence and effectiveness • http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/Events/Seminar/GSR/

7. Global Symposium for Regulators • First day open to ITU-D sector members • GSR sessions include: • Major regulatory challenges • Why regulators are needed • Institutional framework and the process of creating a regulator • Transparency and fairness • Regulatory powers • Staffing and financing the regulatory authority

8. ITU Publications • 3rd edition of “Trends in Telecommunication Reform 2000-2001” with theme of “Interconnection Regulation” • http://www.itu.int/publications/docs/trends2000.html • Identifies key issues raised by interconnection regulation and provides examples of how regulators and policy makers around the globe have addressed these issues • Other publications at: • http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/

9. Free ITU Statistics • At http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/statistics/ • Population, GDP, main telephone lines, mobile cellular subscribers • Internet indicators: hosts, users and number of pcs • Global statistics: top 20 public telecom operators, international telecom operators, mobile cellular operators, fixed telephone line operators, telecom equipment vendors, online service providers • Status of IMT-2000 (UMTS) licensing in Western Europe

10. Thank you – we live in interesting times!