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ITU Report:By 2013, 11.7M Kms of fibre and microwave backbone transmission networks was available in 5 global regions

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Trends in Telecommunication Reform Special Edition: 4th Generation Regulation

The Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is pleased to present this special edition of Trends in Telecommunication Reform which spotlights the theme “Fourth-Generation Regulation: Driving Digital Communications Ahead”. The changes in  markets, business dynamics and consumer behaviours coupled with the rapid development of new services and applications are challenging the traditional role and mandate of the regulator, calling for a rethink of traditional regulatory approaches in a digital ecosystem.

This 14th edition examines the evolution to 4th generation ICT regulation and the evolving role of ICT regulators as partners for economic development and social inclusion. As in previous editions, this publication also features an in-depth analysis of current market and regulatory trends based on ITU data from one of the world most comprehensive data platforms, the ICT Eye.

For free download of this special edition click here.

Fourth Generation Regulators

From a first generation with highly regulated state-owned monopolies, to a second wave of privatizations, opening up of markets and the creation of separate regulatory bodies aiming, then to a third phase with focus on competition and the expansion of mandates, the ICT industry is currently shaping the fourth generation of regulators. This generation requires adaptability to an industry that not only grows exponentially but goes through constant innovations, causing radical changes in both business scenarios and consumer behavior. 4th gen reg 2.PNG

Spectrum managers, banking regulators and telephone network operators amongst many other industry players are facing the challenges of exponential growth in demand for the various ICT services. For instance, the chart below shows the steep growth of the ‘apps’ market (a total of 50% growth from the previous year) as well as an increased demand for data traffic over the past years, which puts additional strain on networks and pushes operators and regulators to find viable solutions to offload mobile traffic. TRENDS Special Edition is about meeting these and many other challenges of the converged ICT sector, providing different approaches and potential actions to ensure that regulators can swiftly adapt to this rapidly and consistently changing environment.

IP traffic, apps and internet users.PNG

Source: based on data from ITU, Gartner, Cisco VNI, Telegeography and IDC

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James Barnley

I’m the editor of the DomainingAfrica. I write about internet and social media, focusing mainly on Domains. As a subscriber to my newsletter, you’ll get a lot of information on Domain Issues, ICANN, new gtld’s, Mobile technology and social media.