By 
Minister for Communications and Information, Hon. Patrick Tammur released a letter this Monday, inviting comments on the ICT Policy Phase 2.
So now is our chance to give our comments on those burning issues of the ICT realm. Could this be the final hurdle in seeing ICT grow to its fullest potential? Issues like liberalisation of the internet gateway are discussed, which has been a topic on my mind for a long time, so Ill be doing my reading also to see what’s in store for my little business which depends so much on the net.
The Minister’s letter reads as follows:
“Today I am releasing the Experts Report on the National ICT Policy Phase 2 Reforms.
The Report provides an informative and rigorous discussion of the key issues in ICT regulation and proposes a number of significant recommendations for continued reform of the ICT sector in Papua New Guinea.
I welcome the Report and commend the work undertaken by the Department of Communications and Information in developing these reforms.
These recommendations have been developed in accordance with NEC Decision NG 21/2008 which requires me as the Minister for Communication and Information to report to the National executive Council by March 2009 with a timetable and mechanism for the introduction of Open Competition in the ICT sector.
The recommendations arise out of the detailed analysis and public consultation undertaken by the Department of Communication and Information and its advisers in 2008,
The Report recommends a number of significant changes to the competitive and regulatory environment to encourage effective and sustainable competition through the ICT sector. These are existing reforms which will have a profound effect on existing market structures and lead to realistic improvements in ICT capabilities for the benefit of all residents in both rural and urban areas alike. The recommendations cover a range pf important ICT issues, including:
55. The Timely and comprehensive move to Open Competition underpinned by a new licensing regime.
56. Liberalisation of the International Gateway services
57. A new access regime for wholesale services
58. Removal of unnecessary retail price regulation
59. A new universal access scheme to further enhance access to telecommunications services and in particular access to rural population.
60. New institutional arrangements with a new ICT regulator with responsibility for regulation in the ICT sector.
I am relasing the Report as a basis for a final round of public consultation.
I wlecome views of all interested parties the specific recommendations contained in the Experts Report. These views will help guide me as I hope to finalise my report to the National Executive Council in March 2009.
Written submissions should be provided to the Department of Communication and Information by no later than 20 February 2009. Please provide Email responses to ictreview@gopng.gov.pg
…..I encourage all interested parties to continue engagement in this exciting reform process.“
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Click below for Your Copy of the Phase 2 Policy Draft (4.8MB):
Masalai blog 
Thanks bro. I’m having trouble downloading the document for your wordpress site. Anywhere else it may be available online?
Jaive, download works okay on my end, but you have to note that its a 4.8 MB file which will take a while to download with PNG internet speeds.
Sorry not sure where else you can find it online. If you can give me a flash drive then I’ll just pop it on there.
Ironic isn’t it, that the very document that will explain how we will get faster internet can’t be downloaded because we don’t have faster internet 🙂
So while we’re on this topic of the Phase 2 developments in our ICT Policy, our Fijian friend at Coconut Wireless has some good points regarding investment in Broadband. Here is an excerpt:
“In the US, President Obama’s $800 billion economic stimulus plan includes $7 billion in spending for improving the nation’s broadband infrastructure.
From the GigaOm post:
What’s happening in the US brings up a very important question for Fiji: What role should public policy play in the deployment of network infrastructure?”
Read More Here:
Hey Emmanuel,
Long time no see. Thanks for posting this.
Hey D, yes indeed…was wondering what happened to you. I have to make some time this weekend to have a good read of the Policy. But look forward to seeing something in Islands Business…
:)) Sure Emmanuel, thanks to your post, I have access to these docs. I’ve had a look through them and writing something out of it for Islands Business. I’ve been detoxing from telecom stories for a while so that’s why I haven’t been out checking the blogs.