LIRNEasia training course: Catalyzing change: Strategies to achieve connectivity and convergence

Ayesha Zainudeen — Sun, 09 Oct 2005 06:29:23 +0000

LIRNEasia’s maiden telecom reform course was successfully completed by 36 participants from 18 countries. The 10^th telecom reform course was co-organised with LIRNE.NET, in association with the School of Communication and Information of Nanyang Technological University, and the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) of Singapore. Themed ‘Catalyzing change: Strategies to achieve connectivity and convergence,’ the course took place at the Elizabeth Hotel in Singapore on the 24^th-30^th September 2005.
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The course aimed to prepare regulators to face the challenges that lie ahead to achieve connectivity and convergence. One of the key issues that much of the discussion focussed on was VOIP or voice over internet protocol, an application that is revolutionizing the voice market, bringing down costs significantly; this will have an enormous bearing on universal access, given the ‘right’ regulation. In fact, IP networks are becoming the universal means of transporting any type of communication service; as Bill Melody put it, soon we will be talking of ‘EOIP,’ or everything over IP. A tour of the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) Proof of Concept Lab, facilitated by Andrew Haire, Assistant Director General (Telecom), where a brief presentation of the technical aspects of VOIP complemented the course content.
Participants were welcomed by Randolph Kluver, Executive Director, Singapore Internet Research Centre & Associate Professor, Nanyang Technological University and Tan Geok Leng, Chief Technology Officer, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore. The course was inaugurated with a talk by Mr Satish Ranade, the first Company Secretary of Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL), the Indian international telecom giant, now a part of the Tata Group of Companies. Mr. Ranade recounted his experiences of VSNL’s two recent acquisition bids (acquisition of the Tyco Global Network (TGN) and Teleglobe) drawing on experiences of facing varying regulatory environments, illustrating the importance of effective regulation in the telecom sector.
A WDR Expert Forum was held on Friday 30^th September, to present current research to the participants, and also obtain their feedback. This included an assessment of the first Asian least-cost subsidy auction, an Asian Backbone study, a study of universal service instruments in India, studies of innovative access models in Indonesia and Bangladesh, and telecommunications user studies in African and Asia.
In addition to lectures delivered by Professors William Melody, Managing Director LIRNE.NET and WDR, and Rohan Samarajiva, Executive Director, LIRNEasia, several guest lecturers conducted sessions over the four day course. Amongst these were Ewan Sutherland, Executive Director, International Telecommunications Users Group (INTUG); Rajendra Singh, Secretary, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI); Professor Jens Arnbak, former Chairman OP TA ( Netherlands Regulatory Authority); Milagros Rivera Sanchez, Associate Professor & Head of Communications and New Media Programme, National University of Singapore (NUS); and Chanuka Wattegama, Senior Researcher, LIRNEasia . The combined experience of the lecturers includes that of past and current regulators, policy advisors and researchers in the ICT field.
Participants came from regulators, government, civil society, operators and academia, from top and junior levels. A range of countries throughout Asia, as well as Africa, Europe and North America were represented: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Tajikistan and Thailand. This was the most diverse group that LIRNE.NET has had in its history of training courses, bringing to the table a wider set of perspectives and experiences to share.

LIRNEasia course filling up fast

Rohan Samarajiva — Mon, 22 Aug 2005 12:43:51 +0000

LIRNEasia, in association with LIRNE.NET, Nanyang Technological University and the InfoComm Development Authority of Singapore is offering an executive course in regulatory strategy in Singapore, Sept 25-30, 2005. This limited-enrollment course is 70 per cent subscribed at this time. Participants representing government, regulatory agencies, telecom operators, universities and civil society from 14 countries ranging from Moldova to the Philippines have already registered. The speakers are confirmed as are the arrangements to visit the InfoComm Development Authority. Just over a month to go, preparations are on course for an exceptional event.
Mr Satish Ranade, Secretary to the Board and Vice President (Legal) of VSNL, the Indian multinational operator that has been much in the news recently with its acquisition of Tyco and Teleglobe and its role in the South African Second Network Operator (SNO), will deliver the keynote address at the opening session. His topic is Effective regulation from the perspective of an Asian telecom multinational. Mr Leong Keng Thai, Deputy Chief Executive and Director General (Telecommunications), InfoComm Development Authority of Singapore will deliver his talk on Catalyzing change: Reflections on the evolution of IDA and IDA’s role in the ICT sector in Singapore at the awards ceremony on the penultimate day of the course, the 29th of September.
In addition to Professors Melody and Samarajiva who will be managing the course in addition to teaching, the faculty include Professor Jens Arnbak, Professor Ewan Sutherland, Mr Rajendra Singh, and Mr Andrew Haire. Professor Arnbak was the founding Chair of the Dutch Posts and Telecom Regulatory Authority from 1997, reverting to his professorial position at the Delft University of Technology only in mid 2005. He also chaired the European Regulators’ Group and the Independent Regulators’ Group, both of which played major roles in advancing Europe’s regulatory reforms. Professor Sutherland has been Executive Director of the International Telecom Users’ Group, INTUG, since 1999. Prior to that he taught at several UK universities, including a stint as a Dean at the University of Wales. Mr Singh serves as Advisor to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, with special responsibility for mobile networks. Mr Haire, who will be coordinating the program at the IDA, is Assistant Director General (Telecoms) at the InfoComm Development Authority of Singapore.
Registration is encouraged for the remaining seats. Course information is available here.

LIRNEasia » Andrew Haire

LIRNEasia training course: Catalyzing change: Strategies to achieve connectivity and convergence

LIRNEasia course filling up fast