Development of Universal and Rural Service Schemes

Organisational Development

The successful implementation of a universal service regime will require the input of particular regulatory skills, not just during the initial implementation process but also over the longer term to drive and oversee the continuing development universal service in-country. These skills are likely to relate to areas of activity as diverse as determining service types and levels, calculating reasonable costs of provision, deciding eligibility for funding and/or managing competitive tender processes for provision, and determining the liability of sector players to making Universal Service Fund contributions. In addition, and dependent upon the solutions adopted, regulatory staff may need to develop an understanding of managing Telecentres and joint ventures with other network/facilities operators, and how new efficient technologies can best be used to drive increased availability of service at minimum cost.

Not all of these skills – especially those relating to financial and technical disciplines - may readily be available within existing national regulatory authority structures. Indeed it may be considered wise to establish an independent body to oversee the fund, with non-executive management from a range of interested government departments, industry and consumer groups. Where a dedicated Universal Service Fund is created, enabling legislation may therefore call for the establishment of an independent authority charged with administration and management of Fund, the structure and staffing of which will need to be determined and implemented.

InterConnect Communications can support regulators and Ministries in the definition, development and implementation of suitable organisation structures, from the simple development and redirection of existing staff resources to the planning, setting-up and initiation of complete new organisations with responsibility for administering universal service schemes. Our expertise covers organisational planning, staff orientation and training, and the creation and implementation of suitable procedural models. Our experience is significant and includes:

Recommending the administrative structure, resources and personnel descriptions for the body charged with administering a Universal Service Fund for a large South Asian country;
Suggesting suitable approaches to assist the regulator in creating a suitable administrative structure for overseeing universal service provision in a Middle Eastern country;
Providing recommendations for the establishment, organisation structure and operation of a Rural Communications Fund Administration to administer and oversee the payment of subsidies for universal service provision in a Pacific Islands state.

Key Service Areas:

Universal & Rural Service

More Information?

For more information about InterConnect's Universal Service experience, please contact Hugh Collins by phone on +44 (0) 1291 638400.