World Telecommunication Development Conference Starts Tuesday in Qatar

The World Telecommunication Development Conference, which opens in Doha, Qatar, on 7 March 2006, will focus on development priorities aimed at bridging the digital divide. In achieving the objectives of the recently concluded World Summit on the Information Society, the Doha Action Plan will focus on utilizing the full potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) to connect the unconnected and accelerate the pace of social and economic development.

Within the framework of WTDC-06, ITU is organizing a series of information sessions on four key issues that have a direct bearing on telecommunication development around the world, with special relevance for developing countries.

Emergency Telecommunications
Following a spate of recent events including natural disasters and conflict, emergency communications have taken on urgency to save human life, mitigate distress and aid rehabilitation. "The poorest are often the most vulnerable during emergencies as well as during the aftermath," said the ITU in a release. "The development of ICT infrastructure is critical in disaster preparedness by improving early-warning systems as well as mechanisms for timely response and relief. Next generation networks will further help in strengthening the inherent robustness of telecommunication infrastructure and facilitate rapid redeployment of services."

An information session will address the link between development and effective disaster management while emphasizing the importance of forging partnerships in achieving these ends.

Regulation Toolkit
Policy and regulatory frameworks are essential in developing telecommunications, said the ITU. While it is widely recognized that technologically it is feasible to connect the world to the benefits of ICT by 2015, if not earlier, regulatory or administrative roadblocks could prevent this from materializing. On the other hand, good regulatory practices could make broadband access and telephony more affordable and available to a wider user base. Especially relevant for developing countries, the toolkit enables regulators to design and implement sustainable regulatory frameworks and strategies for effective participation in the Information Society. This online tool is intended to be a living resource that will indicate changing trends while giving access to key regulatory information by policy-makers, regulators, industry and consumers.

The session will demonstrate how the toolkit can help regulators addressing issues such as pricing, competition and interconnection, licensing, spectrum management principles and practices, legal aspects of regulation, or the impact of changing technologies and market development on the ICT regulatory framework. The regulatory toolkit has been developed by ITU in collaboration with InfoDev, a global grant program managed by the World Bank.

Spectrum Management
Radio-based telecommunication services are essential for aeronautical and maritime navigation, space and microwave communications services, as well as broadcasting and other applications. Wireless access is particularly suited to achieve connectivity efficiently, particularly in connecting the unconnected in remote areas. Yet access to the radio frequency spectrum is severely lacking in some developing countries and almost non-existent in many least developed countries, said the ITU. In accordance with technical specifications prepared by ITU, a multi-functional and multilingual Spectrum Management System for Developing Countries (SMS4DC) has now been designed and is available free of charge to help developing countries:

• Enhance the efficient utilization of the spectrum resource available
• Achieve interference-free operation of telecommunications and radio-based services.

This new system and the benefits that can be derived from it will be demonstrated at the information session on Spectrum Management.

Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is critical in the use and development of ICT, said the ITU. With the exponential growth in the use of cyberspace for mission-critical services, the fight against cybercrime has become a necessity. Lack of adequate security is a handicap for using ICTs that rely on the protection and confidentiality of sensitive data that require authentication and data integrity including medical records, business transactions, government services such as e-voting or land record and citizens' record management. Unless these security and trust issues are addressed, the benefits of the Information Society to governments, businesses and citizens cannot be fully realized.

Considering the global nature of cybersecurity, this information session aims at bringing up the level of awareness of participants on these issues and at providing a better understanding of the main challenges faced by developing countries in this area.