Regulatory policies on universal access to broadband services Interactive Workshop on Practical Strategies 8 September 2008, ITU-D Study Group 1, Geneva Andrew Dymond

Objective of presentation  Highlight a few key issues from the day  Identify related / associated practical strategies  Illustrate with country examples  Formulate opposing/alternate views  Propose & debate  Way forward? Final summary

Relationship of UAS to Broadband UAS policy Regional access, spread and growth of Internet services creates demand for broadband Broadband policy Demand stimulation & supply strategy e-government projects price reduction measures create investment & more opportunity for economic delivery Internet services Broadband facilities Converging into one policy?

Cases from this workshop (am)  India Integrated re-casting of broadband policy, regulation and the USOF’s role into broadband access Use of USOF funds  USA Inter-governmental agency collaboration to ensure broadband made available by various means – FCC, USF, USDA  Portugal Program energized by economic challenge – becoming competitive in the world Schools … schools …. schools! Mobile broadband as the favoured facility  Serbia Development of a US policy through sector & demand research. Need for broadband service identified Establish dual US target – Schools first broadband target in basic Scenario A Scenario B - Broadband to specific communities based on research outcomes

 Brazil Incumbent PSTN operators committed to extension of the backbone All municipalities to be connected All urban schools to have free broadband, under Government initiative  Dominican Republic Needed to change the paradigm Various local access centre project models Rural connectivity programme to connect each municipal district Zero subsidies  Mobile banking “Banking the un-banked” > Financial inclusion 85% of m-banking customers in developing countries Massive remittance market No broadband implications except capacity for growth Cases from this workshop (pm)

Suggested topics for discussion  Are UAS and Broadband policy converging? What are the challenges, hurdles & disadvantages for this?  Finding out the baseline information Practical demand surveys Experience & lessons  Are schools the main priority for broadband? How do we compare libraries, cybercafés, health centres? How should schools projects be financed?  Are UAS Funds even needed or should levies be reduced? Obligations can be negotiated Licenses can have requirements Some competitions yield low or zero subsidies

2007 finding for GSMA …. mobile networks Cover more than 80% of the world’s population Will be over 90% by 2010

Thank you