Ms Umutoni Gatsinzi Nadine: Being new to the industry, this course has given me a better understanding of the role and scope of regulation.

The 4th IDA Telecom Regulatory Course, which was held at the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) from 12 to 16 July 2010, provided delegates with more than the skills to become better professionals in their field; they came away with a shift in mindset and the confidence that what Singapore has achieved is attainable in their countries.

Twenty-five participants from 10 countries such as Thailand, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Oman, Egypt, Rwanda and New Zealand attended the course “Enabling Frameworks for ICT Development – The Singapore Experience”. Topics covered included Singapore’s Infocomm Journey; Regulating a Competitive Telecommunications Sector; Effective Licensing Framework; Ensuring Interconnection and Access; Managing Scarce Resources – Spectrum and Numbers; and Resolving Disputes and Enforcement Measures.

The programme also included site visits to the iExperience Centre at the Esplanade Xchange and the Spectrum Monitoring Centre at Tele-Tech Park, as well as experience sharing sessions with operators StarHub and Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel).

Mr Ahmed Hefnawy: Here, we have the advantage of being able to learn from the experience of world-class regulators such as the IDA.

Ms Umutoni Gatsinzi Nadine, Board Member of the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority, emerged inspired. “I believe my greatest takeaway from this five-day course is the change in mindset. Being new to the industry, this course has given me a better understanding of the role and scope of regulation and that the regulatory body is not just here to regulate –  telling industry players what not to do – but also to help the industry move forward,” said Ms Nadine, who has a background in law.

“Having and maintaining a competitive playing field is essential as this helps protect consumers,” she continued. “The course has helped me understand the different processes and documents as well as the legal framework within which this industry operates.”

Mr Ahmed Hassan Saleh Al Haddabi: The selection of topics showed that the organisers have a good grasp of the issues and complexities facing telecom regulators.

While some of the topics covered in the programme have been discussed in books and over the Internet, Mr Ahmed Hefnawy, Manager of Converging Services, Economic and Regulatory Affairs Sector with the National Telecom Regulatory Authority of Egypt, said the literature available often did not deal with the challenges and difficulties faced by regulators in applying the concepts.

“Here, we have the advantage of being able to learn from the experience of world-class regulators such as the IDA, and hear for ourselves how they have gone about choosing and formulating the right policies and regulations, and how these were applied,” he said. “IDA has shared with us their timeline and their thought processes on how they analysed the market, identifying the problems and bottlenecks. They also showed us how they formulated and designed various plans and strategies. They walked us through the execution stage, highlighting the challenges they faced.”

“We also have the advantage of listening and engaging in discussions and debates on the various topics. Listening to experts and practitioners from across the world further clarifies our ideas, and helps shed light on how my country can move forward,” he added.

Mr Rugasira Elly Kwiririza: The course was timely as (Uganda) is revising its telecommuni-cations laws to fill gaps in its legal framework.

Mr Ahmed Hassan Saleh Al Haddabi, Senior Specialist from the Technical Affairs Unit of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Oman, agreed that the course, which was designed for senior policy makers and regulators, met the broad range and interests of the participants. The selection of topics showed that the organisers “have a good grasp of the issues and complexities facing telecom regulators”, he said. These range from technical, to socio-economical and legal issues, as well as the state of competition.

“I am impressed by the way IDA has managed the telecommunications sector in Singapore. It is very advanced,” he said, noting that “IDA is the first country worldwide to have implemented mobile number portability”.

For Mr Rugasira Elly Kwiririza, Commissioner of the Uganda Communications Commission, the course was timely as the country is revising its telecommunications laws to fill gaps in its legal framework. “We are now giving our views before the bill is presented to Parliament to be debated and passed,” he said.

Timeliness aside, he also found the course an eye-opener. “I believe we can succeed in what we want to achieve. There is a model going forward.”