The Impact of Telecommunications Regulation Implementation on sector development by Eng. Abdirizak A. Asir

Presented at SomNOG2 Conference in Mogadishu, Somalia
http://somnog.so/conference17/

Transcript

1. The Impact of Telecommunications Regulation Implementation on sector development Lessons learned from Afghanistan and Kenya Abdirazak A. Asir SomNOG Member
2. Outline  Telecom regulation in Somalia!!! : brief history  Lessons learned from:  Afghanistan  Kenya  Main challenges for regulators  Topic of discussion
3. Somalia  Somalia Pre-war  Somalia has never had a telecom regulator and there was never a need to create it.  There were no private Telecommunication companies.  It was dominated by a State owned monopoly in basic network and services.  The Ministry of Post and Telecom was the sole provider and self-regulator of telecom services.  Somalia Post-war  After 1993 private Telecom Companies have emerged.  Competition began with very limited infrastructure by most measures.  Each Operator offers local and international services to its own customer on its own network.  No Interconnection. In 90s, the civil war destroyed telecommunication infrastructure,
4.  Afghanistan Pre-war  NO Telecommunications regulator  NO private Telecommunication companies.  The Ministry of Telecoms was the sole provider and self-regulator of telecom services.  Afghanistan Post-war  Afghan Wireless Communications Company (AWCC) was the first PRIVATE telecom company in the country, began providing mobile services in April 2002  Roshan commenced mobile services in July 2003,  A state-owned Afghan Telecom was established in September 2005 through a presidential decree,  A new Telecom Law was enacted in December 2005,  Consequently, The Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) was established in 2006,  ATRA is a directorate within the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), The Impact of Telecommunications Regulation Implementation on sector development Afghanistan In 80s and 90s, the civil war destroyed telecommunication infrastructure, Source: Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT),
5.  ATRA duties :  Issue LICENSES;  MONITOR AND CONTROL compliance with the conditions included in licenses;  Assign RADIO FREQUENCIES and grant permits to licensees;  Modify, renew, suspend or revoke licenses and permits;  Respond to complaints of users and dispose of the disputes involving Operators and Service Providers,  Specify and approve technical standards for telecommunication EQUIPMENT AND DEVICES;  Establish and maintain the NUMBERING plan and assign numbers to applicants;  Establish shares of the Telecom Development Fund and supervise the manner for spending thereof; The Impact of Telecommunications Regulation Implementation on sector development Afghanistan Source: Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA)
6. Mobile Network Operators in 2002 Mobile Network Operators in 2017 The Impact of Telecommunications Regulation Implementation on sector development Afghanistan Before REGULATION After REGULATION Source: Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA)
7. The Impact of Telecommunications Regulation Implementation on sector development Afghanistan Source: Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT),
8.  Kenya COMMUNICATIONS ACT, December 1998.  Key to this Act is the establishment of an INDEPENDENT regulatory authority, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK).  REGULATORY INDEPENDENCE: Financially CAK is INDEPENDENT and funded from Annual License fees and Spectrum fees.  Key responsibilities of CAK  LICENSING all systems and services: telecommunications, postal, courier and broadcasting;  FREQUENCY spectrum and NUMBERING resources;  e-commerce;  Type approval of equipment  Protecting CONSUMER RIGHTS;  Managing COMPETITION;  Regulating retail and wholesale TARIFFS;  MONITORING the activities of licenses to enforce compliance with the license terms and conditions as well as the law;  Managing the UNIVERSAL ACCESS fund to facilitate access to communications services by all in Kenya.  Establishment of INTERCONNECTION principles; The Impact of Telecommunications Regulation Implementation on sector development Kenya Source: Communications Authority of Kenya
9. Mobile Operators in 1999 Mobile Operators in 2015 The Impact of Telecommunications Regulation Implementation on sector development Kenya Source: Communications Authority of Kenya
10. Source: Communications Authority of Kenya The Impact of Telecommunications Regulation Implementation on sector development Kenya
11. The Impact of Telecommunications Regulation Implementation on sector development Kenya 286.5 275.9 292 350.7 418.5 531.8 549.2 604.8 624.5 631.2 662.3 660.9 641.6 568 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Government revenues from Telecom sector (USD Millions) Source: Communications Authority of Kenya
12. Main challenges for regulators  Regulator’s INDEPENDENCE from those it regulates and protection from political pressure;  To meet FAST CHANGING ICT environment;  To satisfy RISING EXPECTATIONS from the community for regulators’ transparency and accountability;  To deal with : constraints of EXPERTISE, BUDGET, RESOURCES;
13. Topic of discussion How to implement effective Telecom regulation in Somalia? What do you think? Get Involved … LAGAAMA XIGO !