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Session on the Economic Impact of OTTs on National Telecommunication/ICT Markets

Time and place: Tuesday, 1 October 2019, 09:30 – 12:30 and 14:30 – 17:30 (Room K)

The International Telecommunication Union hosted a thematic workshop on the “Economic Impact of OTT on National Telecommunication/ICT Markets”. The workshop was held in Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday, 1 October 2019 at ITU Headquarters (ITU Montbrillant building, Room K) from 09:30 to 17:30.

Photos from the sessions can be found here
(Contact devsg@itu.int with any questions you may have)

Background information

OTTs (or Over The Top) is amongst the most discussed and debated topics with the telecommunication industry as it has reshaped several aspects of the telecommunication/ICT market across the globe. The impact of OTTs spans issues of business models, infrastructure development, competitiveness, as well as telecommunication/ICT regulations.

Study Groups within the ITU Telecommunication Development Sector prepare reports, guidelines and recommendations to support the development of the ICTs around the world. This workshop was co-hosted by the management teams of ITU-D Study Group 1 Question 3/1, which studies “Emerging technologies, including cloud computing: m-services, and OTTs" and Question 4/1, which studies “Economic policies and methods of determining the costs of services related to national telecommunication/ICT networks".

During the workshop, expert participants discussed topics including the impact of OTTs on network infrastructure, OTT and Mobile Network Operator (MNO) commercial relationships, modernizing communications regulatory frameworks, and the social and economic impact of OTTs.

As a result of the workshop, the aim was to develop a standalone white paper which will be shared with the membership in the form of an annual deliverable jointly produced by the two study Questions, for consideration at the February 2020 ITU-D Study Group 1 meeting.

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[09:30 - 09:50] Opening session

Mr Nasser Kettani, Rapporteur for Question 3/1, Microsoft Corporation (United States of America) [biography]
Mr Arseny Plossky, Rapporteur for Question 4/1, Radio Research & Development Institute (NIIR)(Russian Federation)[biography]

Presentation: Mr Robert Pepper, Facebook (United States of America)[biography][presentation][keynote address]

[09:50 - 11:00] Session 1: OTTs and network infrastructure

Session 1 topics

Case studies of investments in network infrastructure by network operators, OTT providers, and innovative investment partnerships between the two or more stakeholders.
Regulatory and policy tools necessary to promote investment in network infrastructure (by traditional and non-traditional parties) and thereby facilitate access to OTTs.
Economic impact of investment in network infrastructure.

Moderator: Prof Emanuele Giovannetti, Vice-Rapporteur for Question 4/1, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge (United Kingdom) [biography]

Panellists:
Mr Jorge Martinez, Vice-Rapporteur for Question 4/1, Axon Partners Group Consulting (Spain) [biography][presentation][discussion paper]
Mr Richard Morgan, Analysys Mason Limited (United Kingdom) [biography][presentation][discussion paper]
Mr David Geary, Digicel (Jamaica) [biography][presentation][discussion paper]
Mr Robert Pepper, Facebook (United States of America) [biography]

11:00 - 11:15 Coffee/tea break

[11:15 - 12:30] Session 2: Modernizing communications regulatory frameworks

Session 2 topics:

Current and future OTT regulation trends, including regional case studies.
Assessment of legacy telecommunications regulation in today’s communications landscape.
Elements of an enabling regulatory framework that provides opportunities for consumers, OTTs, network operators.
Regulatory and policy tools necessary to promote investment in network infrastructure (by traditional and non-traditional parties) and thereby facilitate access to OTTs.

Moderator: Mr Geraldo Neto, Vice-Rapporteur for Question 3/1, Telecommunications Management Group Inc. (United States of America) [biography]

Panellists:
Mr Jeremy Godfrey, Chairman of BEREC and Commissioner of Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg)(Ireland) [biography]
Mr Steve Unger, Flint (United Kingdom) [biography][discussion paper]
Prof H. Sama Nwana, Cenerva (United Kingdom) [biography][discussion paper]
Ms Archana Gulati, Department of Telecommunications (DOT), Ministry of Communications (India)[paper submission only]

[14:30 - 16:00] Session 3: OTT and MNO relationships

Session 3 topics:

Impact of OTT demand on operator revenues and network management.
Case studies of commercial partnerships between OTTs and network operators.
Regulatory tools to address and facilitate commercial partnerships.
New business models facilitated by the provisioning of OTTs.
Convergent operators.

Moderator: Mr Arseny Plossky, Rapporteur for Question 4/1, Radio Research & Development Institute (NIIR)(Russian Federation) [biography]

Panellists:
Dr Christoph Stork, Research ICT Solutions (RIS)(Canada) [biography][presentation][discussion paper]
Ms Aminata Drame Thiam, Orange-Sonatel (Senegal) [biography][presentation]
Mr Michael Blanche, Google (United States of America) [biography]
Ms Imme Philbeck, SAMENA Telecommunications Council [biography][discussion paper]

16:00 - 16:15 Coffee/tea break

[16:15 - 17:20] Session 4: Social and economic impact of OTTs

Session 4 topics:

OTT impact on economic growth
OTT impact on consumers
OTT impact on small businesses
OTT impact on local content development
OTT global vs local competitiveness
OTT impact on traditional telecommunications operators
OTT impact on social dimensions including health and education

Moderator: Mr Nasser Kettani, Rapporteur for Question 3/1, Microsoft Corporation (United States of America) [biography]

Panellists:
Ms Regina Fleur Assoumou-Bessou, Chairman, ITU-D Study Group 1 [biography]
Mr Kakou Bi Djè Kanvoli, Autorité de Régulation des Télécommunications/TIC de Côte d'Ivoire (ARTCI), Côte d’Ivoire [biography][presentation]
Mr Talent Munyaradzi, Vice-Rapporteur for Question 4/1, Zimbabwe [biography][presentation]
Mr Dhanaraj Thakur, Research Director, World Wide Web Foundation and Alliance for Affordable Internet [biography][presentation][discussion paper]
Dr Fabro Steibel, Instituto de Tecnologia & Sociedade do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) [biography][presentation]

[17:20 - 17:30] Wrap up and closing remarks

Mr Nasser Kettani, Rapporteur for Question 3/1, Microsoft Corporation (United States of America)
Mr Arseny Plossky, Rapporteur for Question 4/1, Radio Research & Development Institute (NIIR)(Russian Federation)

Useful references

Annual deliverable: "Economic impact of OTTs on National Telecommunication/ICT markets"
Q3/1 Final Report for the 2014-2017 study period "Access to cloud computing: challenges and opportunities for developing countries"
Q4/1 Final Report for the 2014-2017 study period "Economic policies and methods of determining the costs of services related to national telecommunication/ICT networks including next-generation networks "

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