ITU develops 'smart' guidelines to promote global broadband deployment

ITU thinks that if the telecom industry is truly dedicated to advancing global broadband deployments it will require a set of best practice guidelines.

Revealed during the standards body's Global Symposium for Regulators in Armenia City, Colombia, the ITU's proposed plan calls for "smart" regulation that it says will put Internet access into the hands of more people that need it in an industry that's constantly evolving.

"Increased access to the Internet--and broadband in particular--will allow us to more effectively deliver services to meet the Millennium Development Goals, as e-applications such as e-health, e-education, and e-governance are able to reach even the remotest corners of the world," said ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré in a statement. "But this will only change when broadband becomes more affordable--and the world's regulators meeting here in Colombia can facilitate this by advocating a combination of increased capacity and competition."

During the event, GSR participants focused on multiple issues including:

  • M-banking services and the role of regulators
  • Wireless broadband spectrum pricing
  • Satellite regulation
  • Open access regulation
  • Setting national broadband policies, strategies and plans
  • Financing universal access/service
  • E-waste and recycling and the role of regulators
  • Protecting rights, such as intellectual property, of all stakeholders in a digital ecosystem
  • Regional initiatives to foster broadband connectivity

An estimated 504 people attended the event, including 243 representatives from 72 countries and Palestine. Country representatives were joined by 261 executives from 42 public and private sector vendors and services providers in addition to regional an international organizations.

While this was the 11th Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR), it was the first time the event had been held in Latin America, a region where broadband connectivity is in the midst of its own respective transitions from traditional regional players and a host of foreign players like Telefonica (NYSE: TEF).

For more:
- see the release

Related articles:
ITU, UNESCO Broadband Commission tackle global broadband challenge
Toure to serve second term as the ITU secretary general
G.hn standard gets ITU-T's blessing
HomeGrid Forum, Broadband Forum to hold G.hn chipset interoperability Plugfest