Fwd: [AfrICANN-discuss] [Questions on the Introduction of ccTLD Internationalised Domain Names]
Dear Colleagues, FYI. In line with the Internet's bottom-up policy development process (PDP), please send in your comments on the fast-track/interim approach to delegating some IDN ccTLD's (see more on this below). KENIC can then collate the input (from the local Internet community) and send to the ccNSO. Regards, Vincent Ngundi KENIC Begin forwarded message:
-- KeNIC - The Kenya Network Information Center http://www.kenic.or.ke
In think we can kick off the discussion by first reviewing the roles of three selected Info & Communications Regulators(Kenya, Tanzania & Malaysia). The idea is to gain an understanding of the role of the Converged Regulator and then extend that into tomorrows Question :- How can the Internet assist Regulators in executing these roles or achieving their objectives? Probably at the end of this task, we should highlight five key functions or roles the Converged Regulators should be playing and then use them as the reference points for building appropriate and corresponding eCommunication strategies. Feel free to point out any role that may not have been covered in the three examples. walu. ~~~~~samples roles below~~~~~ 1. From Kenya The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) was established in February 1999 by the Kenya Communications Act, 1998, to license and regulate telecommunications, radio communication and postal services in Kenya. The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) plays a critical role in the liberalization of Kenya's postal and telecommunication sectors. CCK is the Gateway that encourages private investment in the sector and provides for the rights and obligations of both operators and consumers. The licensing of new players has given the consumer greater choice. As the Link, CCK liaises with consumers, operators and service providers to ensure a level playing field in the sector. CCK also assigns frequencies to all licensed telecommunications operators as well as broadcasters utilizing wireless technologies in the provision of their services. CCK is the Watchdog of the consumer; making sure that standards of quality are maintained in both service and equipment provided. It ensures public service obligations are carried out while, at the same time, guaranteeing the protection of both consumer and investor interest. CCK is guided by policy goal to ensure that by 2015, telephone services are provided nationally under a Universal Service Obligation scheme. This will result in service penetration improving from the present 0.16 lines to 1 line per 100 people in the rural areas, and from 4 lines to 20 lines per 100 people in the urban areas. In the area of postal services, CCK provides the competitive spur to realign prices, improve service quality, and enable the postal operators to compete in an increasingly global market and against new electronic technologies. CCK is committed to ensuring there is quality choice in the info-communications through effective licensing and regulation. This responsibility translates to the following functions: Licensing (telecoms and postal/courier) operators Regulating tariffs for monopoly areas Establishing interconnection principles Type-approving communications equipment Managing the radio frequency spectrum Formulating telecommunication numbering schemes and assigning them to network operators; and Implementing Universal Service Obligation for both postal and telecommunication services. <<http://www.cck.go.ke/role_of_cck/>> ~~~~~~~~ 2. From the Tanzanian Regulatory Authority About TCRA The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA), established by the TCRA Act no. 12 of 2003 is an independent Authority for the Postal, Broadcasting and Electronic communications industries in the United Republic of Tanzania. It merged the former Tanzania Communications Commission and the Tanzania Broadcasting Commission. Its role include licensing and regulating the Postal services, Broadcasting services and Electronic Communications sectors in the United Republic of Tanzania. TCRA became operational on 1 st November, 2003 and has effectively taken over the functions of the two defunct commissions. Specifically the Authority is responsible for enhancing the welfare of Tanzanians through: Promotion of effective competition and economic efficiency; Protecting the interests of consumers; Promoting the availability of regulated services; Licensing and enforcing licence conditions of broadcasting, postal and Telecommunications operators Establishing standards for regulated goods and services Regulating rates and charges (tariffs); Managing the radio frequency spectrum; Monitoring the performance of the regulated sectors. <http://www.tcra.go.tz/about/profile.php> 3. From Malaysia. .the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is to implement and promote the Government's national policy objectives for the communications and multimedia sector. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission is also charged with overseeing the new regulatory framework for the converging industries of telecommunications, broadcasting and on-line activities. Economic regulation, which includes the promotion of competition and prohibition of anti-competitive conduct, as well as the development and enforcement of access codes and standards. It also includes licensing, enforcement of license conditions for network and application providers and ensuring compliance to rules and performance/service quality. Technical regulation, includes efficient frequency spectrum assignment, the development and enforcement of technical codes and standards, and the administration of numbering and electronic addressing. Consumer protection, which emphasises the empowerment of consumers while at the same time ensures adequate protection measures in areas such as dispute resolution, affordability of services and service availability. Social regulation which includes the twin areas of content development as well as content regulation; the latter includes the prohibition of offensive content as well as public education on content-related issues.
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Dear Walu, This is an important conversation you are getting underway and i would like to robe in two fundamentals that are essential for the emerging regulatory regime; 1. Regulation is facilitation and must benefit local industry - It is important for our regulators to see themseles as facilitors of the industry in the interest of the consumer (even in the presence of a consumer parliament...:-) and work towards helping the local industry to grow and innovate. The cash cow for the local operators in "license" or landing right etc. Recently i was talking to a substantive regulator and he told me the most shocking thing, he said he is going to give all the licenses to indigenous local operates so they use it as cash cow to trade with those carrying FDIs. Now thats a strategic mindframe that gives weight to the local folks and i was excited this is coming from a regulator.... 2. Industrial oversight for Regulators - Because of the growing mindset and rapid adaptation of technology, the regualtory system worldwide is changing and it is becoming clear that effective and efficient regualtors actually have oversight from industry. In order words they must subject their decision and enagements to major industry input so that it is consistent with technological evolution which makes them facilitators of growth and economic development, not the opposite. So am advocating more for "self regulation" and less inteference in business process and innovation. Please note that self regulation does not mean "no regulation"...... Eric here On 9 Oct 2007, at 08:47, John Walubengo wrote:
Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"
Agree Eric, important conversation indeed. And I see it asking the following questions: Who talks to regulators? What about and what do regulators do with what they have learnt in a policy regulatory sense. To use the Eric example, Re: Industrial oversight for Regulators - How do regulators subject their decision and engagements to major industry input using communication technology? and has this been effective from an industry point of view? The private sector has the most clear relationship with regulators, simply because their ongoing activities are a primary object of oversight....so the assumption here would be that regulators then have a load of information, services and applications to facilitate conducting of business in the country, is this the case? What about consumers? alice there Eric Osiakwan wrote:
Dear Alice, You see the regulator is suppose to be the pivot on which there should be equilibirum among the operators who make the various levers and again am sure in Kenya things have change for the better with CCK and hence"the speed of light" progress you guys are making. I think one element is to also strengthen the consumer coalition and Alex Gakuru has being doing alot of work in that area, you have done a lot yourself in terms of the CSO and hence you represent them on the CCK leadership. I dont know the current representation on the CCK leadership but if all the stakeholers are there then you are good to go. On another note, the oversight from industry is a mindshift and i hope most countries make it sooner than later in Africa. Eric here On 10 Oct 2007, at 10:19, alice wrote:
Eric M.K Osiakwan Executive Secretary AfrISPA (www.afrispa.org) Tel: + 233.21.258800 ext 2031 Fax: + 233.21.258811 Cell: + 233.244.386792 Handle: eosiakwan Snail Mail: Pmb 208, Accra-North Office: BusyInternet - 42 Ring Road Central, Accra-North Blog: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/eric/ Slang: "Tomorrow Now"
Hallo Eric My questions were intended to begin to respond to some of the issues Walu has brought up which touch on the three East African regulators and their communication practices, and not so much about physical representation, although it is equally important. More questions...How we can use regulators websites to inform the various constituencies? for consumers to ensure that they understand their rights and are in a better position and are able to make informed choices? Similarly, how do/can we use emerging technologies in the service of understanding regulation of the same? alice there
Apologies to our international participants - today was a holiday in Kenya and therefore quite a slow day here. - just gotten online now. Thanx Eric for your previous views on the role and Alice for tying in the idea of who are the Regulators customers? It is important to put the role and the target customers in perspective since from there it will be easier to discuss how the Regulator can best engage with their customer through the web (eCommunications). My take is that the Regulators customers include: -Government -Telco Operators -IT & Broadcast Service Providers -Postal Service Providers -Consumers any other customers or entities interacting with regulators I may have left out? lets share walu. nb: Tomorrow I will start the second thread but ask members to continue belated discussions on previous threads as long as they can keep the correct Subject Lines i.e. Day 1 of 10:-Role of Converged Regulator. --- alice <alice@apc.org> wrote:
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On 10/10/07, John Walubengo <jwalu@yahoo.com> wrote:
-- Sincerely yours, Secretariat Manager Kenya ICT Federation Tel: 020 4440102 Mobile: 0721907995 secretariat@kif.or.ke, info@kif.or.ke http://www.kif.or.ke Mahatma Gandhi once said:- First they ignore you, Then they laugh at you, Then they fight you, AND THEN YOU WIN!!!
participants (5)
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alice -
Eric Osiakwan -
John Walubengo -
nancy bosire -
Vincent Ngundi