Regulation of NGSO Satellite Constellations

28.03.2024

1. Introduction Satellites have played a pivotal role in the connectivity ecosystem since decades. While terrestrial networks address mostly dense urban areas, satellites enable seamless communication across remote and underserved regions. Their ability to provide ubiquitous coverage ensures that even the most isolated areas remain connected, helping to bridge the digital divide. Today, Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) constellations are reshaping the landscape of satellite communications and have become increasingly important for several reasons. First, they offer low-latency, high-speed internet connectivity, particularly critical for real-time applications like emergency alerts and autonomous vehicles. Second, NGSOs are democratizing access to broadband, reaching remote or…

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Amending German competition law for digital regulation

23.08.2021

Introduction Competition law poses complex problems in its application to digital business models. Many of these digital businesses are designed to operate on two-sided or multi-sided platforms. The presence of direct and indirect network effects[1] and the improved efficiency of algorithms needed to process increased amounts of available data, have contributed to the emergence of large and powerful players. These firms also extend their portfolios by acquiring innovative services, complementary products and existing talent through intense mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity directed, especially, at promising start-ups. There is a widespread concern that the M&A activity carried out by large players…

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Numbering: NNAI resources in the digital age

03.09.2020

Introduction As technology and services have changed over the past few decades, the use of numbering, naming, addressing, and identification (NNAI) resources have continually evolved. The introduction of direct international dialling, and of mobile communications are the cornerstone of the evolutionary path that now continues into the digital age. Even more influential is the changing environment – the rules of use and the actors within those rules – in which NNAI resources are evolving. The introduction of competition has brought more operators and service providers, and the introduction of regulators[1] has introduced independent oversight of the use of NNAI resources.…

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Numbering: valuation of numbers, portability, and emergency and toll-free numbers

02.09.2020

Introduction The evolution of the use of the NNAI resources in the digital age brings new opportunities and challenges to existing and established concepts. The development of both over-the-top (OTT) services and machine-to-machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities, and the access that providers of these capabilities have to NNAI resources, will have an impact on the governance of such resources. This section outlines three such areas of impact: the valuation of numbers, number portability, and the handling of emergency and toll-free numbers. Valuation of numbers The valuation of numbers permits charges to be levied on NNAI resources, and…

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Collaborative approaches to policy implementation for digital transformation

01.09.2020

Introduction to institutional collaboration Digital transformation is increasingly supporting all sectors of the economy, changing societies and market landscapes while improving access to and delivery of services across multiple industries. This revolution brings both challenges and opportunities, which will require greater collaboration between policy-makers, regulatory authorities, and other stakeholders to effectively harness technological progress and successfully address the challenges of digitalization. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has identified how collaborative regulation marks a fundamental change in the way that governments develop regulatory frameworks and rules. It reveals how collaboration among institutions, industry stakeholders, and cross-sector regulators is critical for regulatory…

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Decision-making and enforcement in a multistakeholder environment

01.09.2020

Independence and accountability of the regulator An effective, stable, and credible regulatory framework starts with balancing the independence and accountability of the regulator. An independent regulator can propose, adopt, and implement decisions free from undue political influence, whether from the government or market players. The basic components of an independent regulator – structural, financial, and procedural independence – are crucial to preventing regulatory capture. Elements of an independent regulator Independence does not mean that regulators are above or outside the regulatory framework. Instead, independent regulators play an essential role in the interaction among all stakeholders by acting as objective arbiters…

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Response phase: communication restoration

01.09.2020

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) In circumstances where mobile base stations or the satellite network are not available after a disaster strikes, some unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could be useful as they can relay traffic widely and observe sites from above. UAVs vary greatly in size, capacity, control technique, flying capability, and flight altitude (between 200 metres and 20 kilometres). Those operating at 20 kilometre altitudes can provide communications over areas 40 kilometres in radius. For communications that mend breaks in existing communications networks, solutions like tethered kites, tethered balloons (Shu 2017), solar powered gliders, and solar powered balloons (Etherington 2019)…

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Preparedness phase: early warning

01.09.2020

Improvements to preparedness, particularly through early warning schemes, save lives. However, they should come from trusted sources, such as the national entity for monitoring and early warning. For hydrological and meteorological events, the national meteorological organization is in charge of issuing those alerts. For instance: In 2015, Tropical Cyclone Pam caused 24 deaths in Vanuatu; it also caused base station towers to collapse, so satellite phones and VHF radio had to be used for communication during the emergency response. In 2017, Tropical Cyclone Donna resulted in no deaths; before it arrived, there had been warnings by radio broadcasts and SMS…

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Regulator structure and mandate

01.09.2020

Institutional structures of regulators Regulators overseeing the ICT sector base their structures on three general design models: the sector-specific regulator, multisector regulator, or converged regulator. As countries began liberalizing their telecommunication markets in the 1990s, they often created new sector-specific regulators to oversee the telecommunication sector, ensuring non-discrimination and promoting competition as monopolies (often state-owned) gave way to new entrants. When there was limited or no competition in telecommunication markets and fewer ICT services available, sector-specific regulators provided an effective institutional structure that enabled staff to build specialized knowledge in the sector, such as tariffing or spectrum engineering. For example,…

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Evolving business models in the ICT sector

31.08.2020

The increasing digitalization of the way we work and live also impacts the way we communicate. Instead of making traditional voice calls and sending 160 character SMS messages, people can communicate more conveniently, with full video and in groups using Internet applications. Services that were previously provided by mobile network operators (MNOs) now face competition from the public Internet. Voice calls and SMS have to compete with over-the-top (OTT) applications, such as Skype, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. Cryptocurrencies based on blockchain technology may compete with mobile money. The business models of domestic connectivity providers need to adjust to these new…

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