Archive for February 2012

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[ecrea] Telecom reform conference in Copenhagen

Wed Feb 01 20:47:32 GMT 2012



Telecom Reform Conference - 22 March 2012, Copenhagen

*A Quarter Century of Telecom Reform in Europe
- Assessing Performance and Prospects*

Venue: Aalborg University Copenhagen, Frederikskaj 1, Copenhagen

Weblink: www.telecomreform.aau.dk <http://www.telecomreform.aau.dk>

Organized by

· Center for Communication, Media and Information Technology (CMI), Aalborg University Copenhagen

· The Danish Teletechnical Society

· Info - The journal of policy, regulation and strategy for telecommunications, information and media

· IEEE Denmark Section

Beginning with the Green Paper in 1987, the EU has been engaged in a continuing program of telecom reform centered round liberalizing access to telecom and ICT markets through pro-competition policies implemented via National Regulatory Authorities (NRA). The goal has been to create seamless European-wide markets as a foundation for common markets in other economic sectors. After a quarter century of reforms, it is timely to take stock of progress to date and examine the range of possible ways forward.

It is obvious that the former structure of protected national telecom monopolies has been transformed into a more diversified market structure. But the establishment of seamless European-wide markets still seems a long way off. The existence of significant market power (SMP) is the dominant characteristic of most markets. The desired investments for the digital economy/broadband era do not seem to be forthcoming from these partially competitive markets.

Do these developments reflect the maturation of liberalization policy and suggest that other policy tools are needed to achieve the goal of seamless European markets? Do they reflect that, in practice, the implementation of liberalization policy via NRAs has not yet achieved its goals, and strengthened sector regulation is the primary need? Or are there other explanations?

This Conference will bring together the experience of participants in the telecom reform process and the results of research on the issues to examine the current status and future possibilities for the telecom reform initiative in Europe.

Topics of the conference:

· Successes, weaknesses and unresolved issues

· The liberalization agenda

· Telecom reform and the info/knowledge economy (Lisbon ambitions)

· New directions in policy and regulation for the next quarter century
(spectrum, BB subsidies, and common market applications)

Confirmed speakers:

   * Herbert Ungerer, European Commission, lead-author of the 1987
     telecom Green Paper
   * Jørgen Abild Andersen, Chairman ICCP/OECD

   * William Melody, LIRNE.NET and CMI
   * Eric van Heesvelde, Emeritus Prof. Ghent University, Ex BIPT and
     ERG Chairman
   * Rudolf van der Berg, ICCP/OECD
   * Ewan Sutherland , Ex-MD INTUG
   * Wolter Lemstra, Technical University of Delft
   * Colin Blackman, Info

Best regards

Anders Henten


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