Regulatory Framework

Review and Development of Sector Policy

Telecommunications policy can effectively be seen as an articulation of the political priorities and other principles that the government will wish to see reflected in the development and control of the national telecommunications sector. It must combine long-term vision and stability with the ability to reflect and adapt to national, regional and international trends as governments strive to ensure that the communications infrastructure is capable of supporting the demands placed upon it by public and private enterprises and individual consumers.

The impetus to review or amend sector policy can be driven at several levels. Significant political or economic change, moves towards sector liberalisation, or alignment to multinational groups (e.g. European Union) and agreements (e.g. World Trade Organisation Agreement on Basic Telecommunications) may call for an entire new policy and supporting regulatory regime.

Conversely, a review and enhancement of existing policy may be appropriate where the basic policy direction is considered still to be correct, but perhaps in need of selective modernisation and/or strengthening to respond to current and likely future economic and market pressures. Alternatively, the required focus may be at a sub-element level, referring to specific elements of sector policy dealing with issues such as regulatory structures, licensing, interconnection, numbering, universal service, Significant Market Power (SMP), broadband communications, radio spectrum and the certification of telecommunications equipment.

InterConnect Communications has assisted many governments in defining or reviewing their telecommunications policy. In conducting a policy review, we would typically consider the following aspects:

Current governmental policy objectives for the communications sector;
The objectives of the regulator, if present, in undertaking any reform;
The role of a regulator if not presently defined or in existence;
Comparative studies of other regimes either in the region or with similar characteristics;
The effect of existing and proposed laws, regulations and other legislation;
The best policy option to meet the stated objectives

Based on the above, and drawing on their extensive working knowledge of regulatory regimes, our experts can propose any amendments necessary or desirable to facilitate implementation of sectoral objectives.

Significant past assignments include:

Provision of a series of papers suggesting suitable sub-element policies for universal service, rights of way, numbering, fair competition, pro-competitive licensing and interconnection regimes, and the establishment of an independent regulator in a Central European country;
Development of a policy for the development and regulation of the mobile cellular telephony sector in a large South Asian country.

Key Service Areas:

Regulatory Framework

28 Feb 2008InterConnect News

Regulatory Master Class 2008

The first Regulatory Master Class of 2008 will take place on 21 - 25 April 2008.

More Information?

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