A vision of what is possible, and the knowledge to make it happen – this was what inspired Mr O.P. Manhas from India’s Ministry of Communications and IT, when he participated in the recent Executive Programme on “Enabling Frameworks for ICT Development: The Singapore Experience” organised by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA).

Singapore launched the Executive Programme in 2007 in the firm belief that robust regulatory frameworks are necessary if policy makers and regulators are to successfully push their national digital agendas forward.

Through the years, the Programme not only offered a conducive platform for Singapore to share its experiences with fellow policy makers and regulators, it also provided opportunity for IDA to learn from the unique experiences and challenges of other countries as well.

Mr Manhas, Director of International Relation with his Ministry’s Department of Telecommunications, was one of 24 delegates from 12 countries who was taking part in the programme. The presentations gave him insights into how his country’s telecommunications infrastructure could be taken to the next level. “We can use the Singapore model as our role model for the metropolitan areas. It is quite impressive,” he said.

The Singapore experience was also making an impact in Nigeria, said Mr Igoh P.E., the Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission.

Last year, Mr Igoh attended a broadband seminar in Singapore and “since then, Nigeria has not just developed a model that suited our needs, but we have also laid the cables and tested the system, not once but three times with our stakeholders so that it would be rolled out effectively.”

In the same way, the knowledge gained from this Executive Programme will be put to good use as Nigeria begins preparation for broadband auctioning. “I will be going back to Nigeria to compare our processes with that of Singapore as well as other sources, and incorporate the relevant aspects,” he said.

While he appreciates the Singapore model, he feels that it cannot be adopted lock, stock and barrel as the two countries are so different in terms of their terrain, telecommunications structure and even law enforcement. As he pointed out, “We could not just conduct a raid with five or seven law enforcement personnel if we thought someone was violating or interfering with the spectrum. It would be a major exercise involving many more people. There are marked differences.”

For Air Vice Marshal Dr Thanapant Raicharoen, the Deputy Secretary-General of The Office of National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NRTC) of Thailand, the Executive Programme provided him with a good understanding of the broader issues involved in telecom regulation.

“I came here to get some knowledge to help me in my area of work, such as spectrum management and monitoring, and I was not disappointed. I learnt a lot about the auction process from Singapore, which conducted its 4G auction last year,” said Dr Raicharoen, who joined NRTC in March this year and is in charge of spectrum planning for telecommunication and broadcasting as well as spectrum monitoring and enforcement.

He also learnt a lot from interacting with participants from Southeast Asia and Africa, and exchanging knowledge and experiences with them, he said.

Mr Osman Ladis, Deputy Chief Executive, Corporate Strategy and Services Division of the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam, also found the Executive Programme very informative. “Coming from the corporate services department, some of the issues discussed were an eye-opener to me. It helped me understand the regulatory issues better,” he said.

“The presenters were honest in their sharing. They did not just tell us that everything was rosy but they discussed their challenges and how they overcame them. I learnt a lot from their experience and from the inputs of the other delegates. It was good for us to know that we could go forward without having to reinvent the wheel.”

Noting that Brunei’s telecommunications structure was very similar to Singapore’s, Mr Osman Ladis said the seminar built on the two countries’ regular interface. “We have a Memorandum of Understanding with the IDA and a number of joint projects. There is also staff exchange between the two countries. All these exchanges have an impact on the telecommunications industry in Brunei,” he said.