ITU

Country

Phone Number

Website

SECTION 1: IMMEDIATE MEASURES (FIRST 6 MONTHS MARCH TO SEPTEMBER 2020)

1. Has your country defined and implemented a national emergency telecommunication/ICT plan or a contingency plan for any specific hazard including pandemics like COVID-19?

2. In relation to COVID-19, what immediate ICT policy and regulatory initiatives and measures were implemented during the current crisis by the ICT National Regulatory Authority (NRA) or other Government entities in your country (tick all that apply):

If others, please specify

3. Does the Government or the ICT National Regulatory Authority (NRA) consider that the immediate measures which have been implemented are sufficient to address the current crisis situation?

4. Have any measures related to the COVID-19 crisis (e.g. competition policies, data protection policies and regulations, subsidies) been introduced by other Government entities (tick all that apply and provide URL to measures)

Please indicate measures' websites and, if others, please specify and provide the relevant URL

5. Which measures have been of greatest value in responding to the crisis? Please evaluate by level of importance from 0 (less important) to 10 (most important)

Implemented MANDATORY measures requiring Network Operators cooperation in enhancing connectivity, accessibility and affordability

Implemented VOLUNTARY measures requiring Network Operators and service providers cooperation in enhancing connectivity, accessibility and affordability

Allowed flexible network and traffic management

Allowing more flexible IMT spectrum use (e.g.: granting temporary licenses for IMT services)

Accelerating the allocation of available IMT spectrum licences (e.g.: granting permanent licenses for IMT services)

Authorised the use of additional unlicensed spectrum during this period

Facilitated the use of New Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) networks (4G/5G) to quickly deploy necessary wireless broadband infrastructure

Reduced of license fees including fees for spectrum licenses

Mandated an increase of overall or minimum consumer broadband capacity and speeds

Mandated the provision of free services to customers by licensees

Mandated or provided funds to boost free Wi-Fi in public areas and medical centers

Acceleration of universal services strategies and financing

Government subsidy to operators for broadband services

Implementing Consumer protection measures (e.g.: no or limited customer terminations for non-payment)

Relaxation of applicable competition policy rules

Relaxed current Quality of Service (QoS) measures

Development and use of specific health applications

Development and use of contact tracing apps

Support e-learning during the education suspension/lockdown period

Others

If others, please specify

6. Are there other measures/responses which have not been tried which you believe would be valuable? (please list any that you believe would be valuable)

7. What immediate commercial initiatives were implemented by Telecom/ICT Operators and Service Providers in your country? Please evaluate by level of importance from 1 (less important) to 10 (most important). Please indicate 0 for not implemented

Offered free data to businesses

Offered free data to schools

Offered free data and services to health centers

Offered free access to digital productivity tools (e.g.: videoconferencing, commercial platforms, etc.)

Developed or supported the development of contact tracing apps

Effected changes to compression algorithms etc. to minimize bandwidth demand

Offered free or subsidized digital devices to end consumers (e.g.: dongles, handsets, laptops)

Renegotiation of wholesale services conditions and rates

Increased broadband speeds/capacity to help customers from working/studying from home

Facilitated/subsidised prepaid mobile recharges

Provided free access to Government/health and information services

Provided free access to online learning resources

Facilitated mobile money transactions, online prepaid recharges and other online transactions

Deployed or augmented Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) networks

Granted free access to networks and waived any overcharge fees

Waived national roaming charges

Waived international roaming charges

Facilitated connectivity in rural and isolated areas through the provision of satellite services

Facilitated improved connectivity to groups of socio-economic disadvantaged who cannot afford connectivity and/or the cost of acquiring digital devices

Others

If others, please specify

8. Please indicate the URL (from ICT Policy Makers, NRAs and Network Operators as well as any other relevant Ministries/regulators as per Question 7) where information about such responses is publicly available

URL 1

URL 2

URL 3

9. Has your ICT National Regulatory Authority worked in collaboration with other Regulatory Agencies and/or Ministries that represent other industries/sectors (other than telecommunications)?

If yes, please specify with which other National Sectors (tick as many as necessary)

If others, please specify

10. In your view, have there been significant barriers to the implementation of immediate measures/responses to address the adverse impacts arising from events like pandemics? Please evaluate by level of importance from 0 (less important) to 10 (most important)

Low operator margins which limit their ability to provide free or subsidized services and/or limit capacity for further network investment in needed network infrastructure

Structural rigidities in the processes for the timely allocation of IMT spectrum (e.g.: need to undertake the transition from analogue to digital television or longer term spectrum refarming say of C-Band spectrum)

Limited access to international bandwidth/capacity

Limited access to cloud services

Lack of domestic cloud services to support demand

Legal and regulatory barriers which limit rapid and effective regulatory responses

New infrastructure deployment such as towers and backbone infrastructure delayed by complex and costly approval processes which restrict or impede development/rights of way/tower sites, etc

Too high reserve prices are set for IMT spectrum auctions resulting in unallocated IMT spectrum

Blocking of innovative broadband solutions – for example, existing operators restrict/oppose community/municipal broadband/Wifi solutions

A lack of content, services, resources, in local language/s

A lack of availability of/access to/affordability of digital devices (e.g.: smartphones and laptops) particularly for low income individuals (including those located in rural areas), households and very small businesses

Lack of collaborative regulatory approaches between different government agencies

11. What international platforms, guidelines and events have assisted you in defining measures applied (tick all that apply)

If others, please specify

SECTION 2: The Future Ahead

12. Has your country already prepared a post-crisis plan?

13. What will happen to immediate emergency measures applied – will they be

Please explain

14. What are your country’s plans for the post-crisis situation in terms of ICT policies and regulations? (tick all that apply)

If others, please specify

15. What are in your view of the most important measures in question 14 that must be included your country's plans for the post-crisis situation in terms of ICT policies and regulations? (top 3)

16. What would be the 3 most beneficial work the ITU could do for your country to further support you in this crisis and beyond?

If others, please specify

17. Please share any recommendations or lessons learned that you consider could be useful for other ICT National Regulatory Authorities (NRA) or Ministries world-wide

18. Please share any regulation, text or URL that you consider that you consider useful, and attach any relevant file below

[Attached files: Title, summary of each file - e.g. link, pdf, documents, images, charts, maps, etc]

If you would like to attach several files, please put them in 1 pdf document or together in a zip folder.