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Regulatory Watch

Need to rescue net neutrality?

February 2014: The big news from the US on the legal ruling against net neutrality has promoted fierce comment on both sides of the argument. Michael Copps, who was an FCC commissioner, and who leads the Media and Democracy Reform Initiative at Common Cause, is firmly on the side of net neutrality. Writing in a blog post he says the solution is simple: "All it requires is an FCC big enough to own up to its previous mistakes and courageous enough to put our communications future back on track.. http://bit.ly/1b2yB3P

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ICT execs at Davos

February 2014: The World Economic Forum in Davos is known for top financial wizards ruling the roost, but among the clutch of senior technology executives present was Marc Benioff, chief executive of Salesforce.com, taking part in sessions on the digital context, who "pointed out that technology and telecoms executives were taking the stage where Nobel prize-winning economists had previously set the tone for the forum", the Financial Times reports. "This year would be the tipping point, said Marissa Mayer... http://on.ft.com/1jC4Oag

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South Korea goes for 5G

February 2014: South Korea's science ministry is reportedly investing 1.6 trillion won (around £900 million) in the development of 5G, according to a story in the Daily Telegraph. "The superfast mobile internet technology is speculated to download a 800MB film within a single second. Using current 4G technology, the process would take around 40 seconds." A trial will take place in 2017, and a science ministry spokesman said: "We helped fuel national growth with 2G services in the 1990s, 3G in the 2000s and 4G... http://bit.ly/1fkP08v

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Unbundling in New Zealand

February 2014: "Telecom New Zealand has blasted the New Zealand government's decision to mandate open access to the carrier’s local loop network," reports Telecom TV. The long anticipated announcement decimated Telecom NZ’s share price, it adds, and quotes the company's Bruce Parkes as saying: “The package actually tells players to put away any major investment plans and rely on regulation instead." But Michael Malone, CEO of competitor iiNet said he was thrilled. "Our experience in Australia has... http://bit.ly/1dJrjSm

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TV more valuable than mobile?

February 2014: A coalition of broadcasters in the UK, including the BBC and ITV, "has issued a sharp rejoinder to plans to allocate more radio spectrum to mobile phone operators, saying that television can generate more economic value from the airwaves", reports the Financial Times. The UK's broadcasters could see their current allocation of spectrum shifted in order to increase efficiency, resulting in transition costs of hundreds of millions of pounds, it adds. A report commissioned by Digital UK... http://on.ft.com/1b25n53

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India recommends spectrum trading terms

February 2014: India's telecoms regulator, Trai, has recommended allowing outright transfer of spectrum by telecoms companies to other operators, but has suggested a bar on its leasing for now, notes the Economic Times. "Under spectrum trading, only outright transfer of spectrum is permitted, ie. the ownership of the usage right is transferred to the buyer. Spectrum leasing is not permitted at this point of time," Trai said in its recommendations on spectrum trading. The Telecom Commission had... http://bit.ly/1b2lnqT

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Fibre unbundling in Norway

February 2014: NPT, Norway's telecoms regulator, has mandated that Telenor must offer local-loop unbundling (LLU) for its wholesale fibre network, in the same way as it does for its copper lines, reports ZDNet. Having looked into fibre unbundling in 2009, NPT decided that regulation wasn't appropriate, as the extent of Telenor's fibre network rollout was very limited then. "Now, Telenor is extending its fibre footprint, both through its own rollout, and by acquiring competitors." But NPT has not yet stipulated the... http://zd.net/1n9k52l

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Jamaica considers converged regulator

February 2014: The Jamaican government is to receive funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to hire a consultant to study the viability of a single regulator for the ICT sector, says the Gleaner. "At present, oversight of the ICT sector is shared among the Spectrum Management Authority, the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica and the Office of Utilities Regulation. Going forward, the plan is to create a single regulatory agency to incorporate all the ICT-specific functions." http://bit.ly/Mr6oOH

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IPTV in China under scrutiny

February 2014: Chinese companies have been busily tapping the potential of the internet protocol television (IPTV) business over the past year. More than 20 new internet TV screens and streaming boxes have been launched by various companies, notes Caixin. "In mid-December, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, the country's media watchdog, held a symposium on IPTV oversight with representatives from various industry players"... http://bit.ly/1gglvr9

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Urgency needed for European fibre

February 2014: "Without a change in regulations and increased political will at the highest level, Europe's plan for faster broadband could run out of time," Telecom TV reports, summarising a new report by Fibre to the Home (FTTH) Council Europe. A Europe-wide broadband switchover from copper-based connectivity to a completely fibre-based architecture could take 92 years, concludes the report – "That's unless EU governments decide to significantly change telecoms regulations and embark on a comprehensive... http://bit.ly/1mSabPT

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Roaming deals improve ahead of EU action

February 2014: "French operator Orange has announced a number of packages that include data roaming abroad, joining competitors in a move that is likely be replicated all over Europe as EU regulators turn up the heat," says PC Advisor in a story on how French operators are leading the way in pre-empting European roaming regulation, due in 2016. One of Orange's options offers up to 14GB a year during up to 60 days of data roaming. Three, the UK operator, has also been promoting lower roaming costs and... http://bit.ly/1ftAsS6

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Croatian regulator goes for European exemplar

February 2014: HAKOM, the Croatian Post and Electronic Communications Agency, has held a first "market day" in Zagreb, a conference dedicated to market regulation, with special attention to Croatia's role in the single European Union market. The conference highlighted that the regulator's activity will focus on the maintenance and further improvement of a simulative regulatory framework for investment in the modernisation of access networks and new services, with protection of market competition... http://bit.ly/L6kOlN

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Chile splits responsibilities

February 2014: TeleGeography reports that the transport and telecoms committee of Chile's upper house has accepted a bill that will divide the responsibilities of the regulator Sub-Secretaria de Telecomunicaciones (Subtel) between a new institution, the Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones, and Subtel. "The new superintendency will be responsible for the development of the telecoms sector and will handle consumer rights issues, while Subtel will handle technical matters such as the supervision and sanction of operators... http://bit.ly/1d6tFuw

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Apple's latest gaming payout

February 2014: Apple has agreed to pay a substantial sum to settle unfair business practices concerning "in-app" purchases by children playing games on iPads and iPhones. This is the latest event in an issue that's been ongoing for a few years, and which has also attracted regulators' attention in other countries including Australia and the UK - in the latter, the Office of Fair Trading has issued draft principles for children's games that could be enforced if games aimed at children don't conform... http://bit.ly/MbpQOC

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Guinea to revive state operator

February 2014: Guinea’s telecoms minister Oye Guilavogui has announced that defunct state-owned fixed and wireless network operator Societe des Telecoms de Guinee (Sotelgui) is set to relaunch its operations by the end of 2014, says TeleGeography, citing a report by news agency Agence Ecofin. "Guilavogui disclosed that the network equipment required for the upgrade of the incumbent’s networks is 'expected shortly'. The minister said: 'Sotelgui will regain its leading position before the end of 2014. I can... http://bit.ly/1mTpBTU

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	Setting the agenda Cristina Murroni looks back over the IIC’s events from the past year and finds that the disruption and convergence agendas are now in full swing.
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	Creating a Data Ecosystem Centred on the Individual: Context and Policy Report from an invitation only workshop held as part of the IIC Communications Regulation and Policy Week, sponsored by Microsoft (PDF download).