Institutional Development and Capacity Building

Operational Role of the National Regulatory Authority

The effectiveness of a regulator will be determined not just by the policy it is required to implement and the strategic direction chosen for it, but also its organisational characteristics and the attributes of those chosen to staff that organisation.

InterConnect Communications’ regulatory experts can advise on the detailed planning required to establish a new regulatory authority or can suggest recommendations for changes to be made to existing ones in line with sector policy in order to ensure that the regulator can fulfil its regulatory mandate. This may include an organisational plan covering:

Implementation - we can develop an action plan setting out recommendations and a feasible time schedule for the regulatory body to become fully operational and equipped to handle the complete scope of its mandate;
Operational Structure - we can review the regulatory requirements to be met by the regulatory authority and propose a suitable legal and departmental structure for such purposes. This may require separate departments to cover licensing, competition, consumer affairs, interconnection, spectrum and other matters. We can also advise on whether regulatory aims would be best served by vesting authority in one single Director-General or in a collegial Board of Commissioners;
Profiles and Responsibilities - we can review and suggest suitable job descriptions and profiles of appointees;
Procedures – we can advise on (and, if necessary, compose) the detailed administrative procedures necessary to facilitate the smooth and effective running of the regulatory body;
Promotional Aspects – we can advise on a public awareness campaign to promote the regulator’s introduction or revised role.

InterConnect can also help build and reinforce regulatory competence through the provision of benchmarking and international best practice reviews, and through the training of key staff. This may delivered in the form of a dedicated programme delivered at the regulator’s own premises, or through attendance at one of our regular Telecommunications Regulatory Master Class (TRMC) courses.

We have already assisted multiple governments and regulatory authorities in defining suitable regulatory structures and building institutional capacity. Typical assignments include:

Advising on the organisational design and development of a new regulatory authority so as to ensure coherence between the new institution and its overall mandate;
Providing a training and organisational development structure for a newly-established regulator– including the creation of a dedicated staff training centre – and advising on measures to maximise public awareness of the authority’s duties and functions.

Key Service Areas:

Institutional Development

More Information?

For more information about InterConnect's regulatory services, please contact Fintan Healy by phone on +44 (0) 1291 638400.