broadband strategies handbook.pdf - Khazar University

338Table B.1 Infrastructure Policies and ProgramsSector andprogramPromoteinvestmentand marketentryPromoteinternationalcoordinationReduceadministrativeburdens andprovideincentives forresearch anddevelopment,pilots, andnetworkrolloutSupply anddemandimpacts Description ExampleSupply: alllevelsDemand:access,affordabilitySupply: alllevelsSupply: alllevelsDemand:access,affordabilityThe first step of broadband policy implementationis to foster competition with minimal marketentry barriers. Lowering or removing entrybarriers in broadband markets drives competition.A key consideration is technological neutrality. Therapid development and diffusion of broadband islargely due to competition between technologiessuch as digital subscriber line (DSL), cablemodem, fiber optics, and wireless. To enjoy thefull benefits of such competition, governmentsshould not influence the technological choices ofproviders without good reason.Coordination among countries can affect all levelsof the broadband supply chain by lowering coststhrough common technical standards andfacilitating the development of international,regional, and national backbones. A high level ofglobal and regional cooperation already exists inareas such as equipment standards and frequencycoordination. Regional harmonization inbroadband regulatory approaches can help toreduce uncertainty and attract investment.High license fees, taxes, and burdensomeadministrative processes can discourageinvestment in the broadband sector, especiallywhen the market is nascent and the returns areuncertain. Measures such as providing investorswith tax benefits and low-interest, long-termloans can promote investment in networkdevelopment. Likewise, allowing operators to usebroadband spectrum for pilots prior to formalallocation provides an opportunity to test thefeasibility of different frequencies and gainvaluable experience.The Thai government considers that internationalconnectivity could be a bottleneck and for thatreason issues automatic licenses for internationalgateway services (Thailand, National TelecommunicationsCommission 2010).The Eastern Caribbean TelecommunicationsAuthority (ECTEL) is a regulatory body for its fivemember states. It coordinates policy in severalareas, including aspects related to broadband suchas frequencies for broadband wireless access,wholesale access to networks, and quality ofservice. aIn order to encourage broadband connectivity,India removed licensing requirements for use ofWi-Fi and WiMAX in the 2.4–2.4835 GHz band. b