Access for all

Case Study: Vanuatu’s “pay or play” scheme

31.08.2020

The Universal Access Policy (UAP) in Vanuatu The Universal Access Policy (UAP) in Vanuatu has been designed and implemented by the national government with the aim of expanding telecommunications services to underserved and unserved areas. The UAP was approved by the Council of Ministers in November 2013 (Republic of Vanuatu 2013). The Telecommunications, Radiocommunications, and Broadcasting Regulator (TRBR) has been appointed as the implementing agency by the Vanuatu government. TRBR is responsible for the implementation of the UAP and for universal service implementation in general. It is empowered by the 2009 Telecommunications and Radiocommunications Regulation Act to enter into contracts…

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Chile’s Telecommunications Development Fund: monitoring and evaluation

24.09.2020

Payment milestones linked to project progress UA policy and project monitoring is a key policy element that can and should be fundamental to any program that disburses public funds for the development of telecommunications services. In Chile, the Telecommunications Development Fund (FDT) is governed by a regulation that explicitly requires government certification of project completion before subsidy funds can be released. The FDT regulation notes that, in order for a UASF subsidy to be paid, the concessionaire, permit holder or licensee must present the certificate granted by the Undersecretariat of Telecommunications (SUBTEL) certifying that the work has been correctly executed…

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Indonesia’s Universal Service Obligation Fund

24.09.2020

Introduction One of the main challenges to developing ICT Infrastructure in Indonesia is its geography. This includes the number of islands, size of the territory to cover, the numerous remote and difficult to reach areas, and the number of low-income and uneducated inhabitants (GSMA 2013: 151). Owing to the limited funding capability of both the government and the private sector, infrastructure development cannot fully meet the demand in Indonesia. Thus, isolated and impoverished parts of the country are the most harmed (GSMA 2013: 151). Structure According to Telecommunications Law No. 36 of 1999, “every telecommunications network operator and/or telecommunications service…

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Pakistan’s Universal Service Fund

05.10.2020

UA funding and financing policies: tackling accessibility challenges Pakistan established an autonomous Universal Service Fund (USF) by the end of 2006, in accordance with rules and guidelines from the Telecommunications Law enacted in July 2003, the 2004 Mobile Cellular Policy, and the 2004 Broadband Policy. It was created by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) with the goal of promoting the development of telecommunication services in unserved and underserved areas throughout the country. The USF follows a Corporate Model under Section 42 of the Pakistani Companies Ordinance. The main objectives of the USF are: to make telecommunication operators…

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