FORUM OF CITEL “Convergence: Transition of traditional networks and services in the Americas ”

The telecommunication sector is undergoing major transformations based on the convergence of information and communication technologies, which have given rise to the concept of Next Generation Networks. Changes from every standpoint are needed to address the sector’s evolution.

Technological, market, regulatory, and institutional convergence afford an invaluable opportunity for countries to undergo a “developmental leap” by stepping up their efforts to implement innovations. However, this also poses a major challenge, since additional support is needed to be able to work in this dynamic environment and meet the demands of technology and service providers, and of users.

Different factors will play a part in the evolution of telecommunication sector technologies, notable among them: IP transport, which provides the capacity to mix voice, data, and video; the array of cable and wireless access solutions; and additional security requirements. Such factors have generally revolutionized the way in which we work, communicate, and live. Telecommunications is creating a new environment that requires appropriate technological incorporation, and account must be taken, among other factors, of the market, technological advances, regulations that can keep abreast of the times, and, in general, expertise that will enable new ideas to be implemented.

The CITEL Member States have promoted efforts to increase the geographic and societal coverage of ICT infrastructure and develop a digital culture among their citizens in the framework of the Agenda for Connectivity in the Americas. However, to address the ongoing advances in the telecommunication industry, we must give systematic consideration to a way to foresee the future and potential repercussions of the changes under way.

With the aim of providing a space for discussion where CITEL Members can have access to the ideas of the most important sector experts, a FORUM of CITEL will be held on “Convergence: Transition of traditional networks and services in the Americas” on August 21, 2007, in San José, Costa Rica.

The main objective of this event is to consider ideas enabling a dynamic environment to be built and convergence utilized as an instrument for the expansion of possible services, access and, hence, the market, and to profit from synergies among the different groups that are seeking to address the sector’s challenges. As outcomes of this event, we will obtain elements for use in measuring the progress we are making and will gain awareness of the challenges that lie ahead in promoting innovation and creativity, with better use of available resources and avoiding duplication of effort.

Panel participants will have an opportunity to present their visions of market trends and new technologies, and of regulatory challenges and strategies that may be adopted to promote access to information and knowledge throughout the region.

The audience at the event will include government authorities, CEOs or private sector executives, representatives of regional and international telecommunication organizations, and observers.

We especially wish to underscore that, bearing in mind the objective of helping countries benefit from opportunities afforded by the Information Society, and in accordance with the principles arising from the World Summit on the Information Society, the Summits of the Americas, the OAS mandates, and the Millennium Development Goals, on this occasion an agreement will be signed between CITEL and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to cooperate in implementing the regional project entitled “Reducing the Digital Divide and Advancing the Information Society in the Americas.”

Innovations must be made if we are not to become irrelevant. We must look ahead by accelerating the decision-making cycle!

CITEL will continue to provide a platform for public/private discussion of crucial matters in the area of telecommunications in the Americas and for the development of reference guidelines to assist member states in designing public policies and strategies conducive to their integration into the Information Society.

FIRST DRAFT PROGRAM

08:00-09:00   Registration of participants

09:00-09:15   Welcome remarks

Mr. Pedro Pablo Quirós Cortés (Chair of COM/CITEL and Executive Chair, ICE-Costa Rica)

09:15-10:15   What lies in store for us in the Information and Communications sector?

Mr. Hamadoun Touré (Secretary General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)) (confirmed)

Q & A

10:15-10:30   Signature of a CITEL-ITU Cooperation Agreement for joint implementation of the Regional Project – “Reducing the Digital Divide and Advancing the Information Society in the Americas”

10:30-11:00    Break

11:00-12:45   PANEL 1: “Market-related Aspects of Convergence – Challenges and Opportunities.”

Moderador: Vice-Chair of COM/CITEL (Administration of Mexico) (5 min)

Speakers:

Representative of the Hispanic-American Association of Research Centers and Telecommunications Enterprises, AHCIET (confirmed)

Mr. Alfonso Ruiz de Assin (President, International Association of Broadcasting – IAB/AIR) (invited)

Mr. Nicolás González-Revilla P. (President, Organization of Telecommunication Association and Companies for Latin America – TEPAL) (invited)

Amb. Jeffrey Davidow (President, Institute of the Americas, University of California, San Diego) (invited)

Q & A

12:45-14:30   Break

14:30 -16:15  PANEL 2: “Regulatory Aspects of Convergence as New Technologies Emerge (Quadruple Play, Internet Protocol Television-IPTV among others)”

Moderador: Mr. Carlos Lisandro Salas (Secretary of Communications of Argentina and Chair of PCC.I) (5 min) (confirmed)

Speakers:

Mr. Marcelo López Arjona (Secretary, ASETA) (confirmed)

Mr. Mike Singh (Chairman, Caribbean Digital Divide Initiative) (confirmed)

Ms. Regenie F.Ch. Fräser (Secretary General, CANTO) (invited)

Representative of REGULATEL (invited)

Ms. Valerie D’Costa, Program Manager, infoDev, WORLD BANK (invited)

Q & A

16:15-16:30  Break

16:30-18:45  PANEL 3: “The Outlook for the Wireless Industry”

Moderador: Chair of PCC.II (Administration of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela) (5 min)

Speakers:

Mr. Perry LaForge (Executive Director, CDG) (confirmed)

Mr. Mohammed Shakouri (Board Member and VP of Marketing, WiMAX Forum) (confirmed)

Mr. Chris Pearson (President, 3G Americas) (invited)

Mr. Andrew Kreig (President and CEO, Wireless Communications Association International (WCA)) (confirmed)

Q & A

18:45-19:00  Conclusions

Mr. Pedro Pablo Quirós Cortés (Chair of COM/CITEL and Executive Chair, ICE-Costa Rica)

Mr. Hamadoun Touré (Secretary General, International Telecommunication Union (ITU))