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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’s Singapore Course Program Finalized

Divakar Goswami — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 10:00:14 +0000

A course on telecom reform, including World Dialogue on Regulation Expert Forum
Catalyzing change: Strategies to achieve connectivity and convergence
LIRNEasia and LIRNE.NET in association with School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, The Infocomm Development Authority (IDA).
Held at The Elizabeth Singapore Hotel

UPDATED PROGRAM

LIRNE Course on Telecom Reform

Divakar Goswami — Mon, 30 May 2005 19:37:41 +0000

On behalf of LIRNEasia, LIRNE.NET and the School of Communication and Information at the Nanyang Technological University, it is our pleasure to extend to you a special invitation to participate in the 7th LIRNE.NET course on Telecom Reform in Singapore, September 25-30, 2005. The course, Catalyzing change: Strategies to achieve connectivity and convergence, is designed to enhance the strategic thinking of a select group of senior decision makers in the telecom and related sectors in Asia and elsewhere. Previous Telecom Reform courses have been offered in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. This is the first time one is being offered in Asia.

The focus will be more on the most current strategic issues than on nuts and bolts knowledge. A day will be set apart for discussion of cutting-edge research on diverse approaches to network extension commissioned as part of the 2005-06 World Dialogue on Regulation. An opportunity will also be provided to visit the InfoComm Development Authority of Singapore, a leading regulatory agency that has been recognized for its efficacy internationally.

Attendance at Telecom Reform courses is capped at 40. Attendees will include regulators and senior officials of regulatory agencies; senior regulatory staff at operators; and leaders of consumer and other organizations participating in reform processes. In addition to Professors William Melody and Rohan Samarajiva who designed and led the previous Telecom Reform courses, Professor Jens Arnbak ( Chair of OPTA, the telecom and posts regulatory body in the Netherlands and Delft University of Technology), Dr Harsha Vardhana Singh, Secretary of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (on leave), Dr Ewan Sutherland (Executive Director of INTUG, the international telecom user?s organization), and Ms Malathy Knight John (Head of the Public Enterprise Reform, Competition and Regulatory Policy Unit of the Institute of Policy Studies in Sri Lanka) are expected to lecture.

The following documents provide more information on the course:

Draft agenda [WORD] [PDF]
Logistical information and course fees [WORD] [PDF]
Course registration & hotel reservation [WORD] [PDF]
Invitation letter [WORD] [PDF]

University links explored

Rohan Samarajiva — Wed, 06 Apr 2005 11:15:21 +0000

On March 7th (I know, this is late; but as they say better late . . ), LIRNEasia had a full day of presentations and meetings at the School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The main presentation by Rohan Samarajiva and Sujata Gamage and the related concept paper may be of interest.

Other conversations covered disaster-related and other research collaboration possibilities.

Capacity Building Presentation
Capacity Building Concept Paper