Universal Access Regulatory Best Practice Guidelines
Highlights

An enabling regulatory environment: the role of governments and regulators

• The success of any universal access/service policy is dependent upon political support at the highest level that recognizes the role of ICTs as a tool for development. This means treating ICTs as a tool for development rather than a source of government revenue.
• It is essential that regulators exist or be established where they do not yet exist, and that their key role in implementing universal access policies and promoting competition be recognized and reinforced.
• Periodic public consultations should be conducted to the extent possible with stakeholders to identify their needs and modify universal access policies, regulation and practices accordingly.
• Adopting technologically neutral licensing practices will enable service providers to use the most cost-effective technology to provide services for end users.
• Appropriate licensing schemes for rural service providers could be granted to meet the needs of un-served and under-served areas.
• Reducing regulatory burdens to lower the costs of providing services to end-users.
• Promoting competition in the provision of a full range of ICT services to increase access, affordability, availability and use of ICTs.
• Adopting a framework of interconnection rates linked to costs.

Access to information and communication infrastructures

• The lessons learned from the initial experiences developing countries have achieved with mobile cellular services can be applied to a broader range of ICT services to foster universal access. These lessons include providing services in a competitive framework, using new technologies that offer both innovative services and affordable pricing options (for example, pay as you go options such as pre- paid cards) to a wide range of end users. An illustrative example can be found in Nigeria where growth in mobile subscribers has been relentless since the government awarded three GSM licences in February 2001 (see related story: Nigeria’s GSM Umbrella People).
• Other measures to promote affordable ICT equipment could include national manufacturing of ICT equipment, reduced customs tariffs and duties, and end-user loans to foster affordability of ICT equipment.
• A full range of public access options can be developed, including the creation of public telecentres.
• Local input (including the content useful for local populations) into projects increases their long-term financial sustainability.
• Educating local people on the benefits of ICTs and their use increases their long-term financial sustainability.

Finance and management of universal access policy

• Universal service funds can be financed by a broad range of market players, managed by neutral bodies such as regulators, and be used to kick-start public access projects that meet the needs of the local community.
• Governments may consider a full range of other financing mechanisms, including tax incentives for ICT providers and end users.
• Competitive minimum subsidy auctions could be used, as an option, to reduce the amount of financing necessary for public access projects financed by a universal service fund.
• Public access projects can be designed to achieve long-term financial self-sustainability, especially where consideration is given to innovative low-cost technologies.

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