17 May marks the anniversary of the signature of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union. World Telecommunication Day has been celebrated since 1969.

Following the World Summit on the Information Society, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/60/252 which identifies 17 May as World Information Society Day. 

The ITU Plenipotentiary Conference which met in Antalya (Turkey) in November 2006 therefore decided to henceforth celebrate 17 May as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.

World Information Society Day, 17 May 2007 was dedicated this year to making available the benefits of the digital revolution to young people everywhere. The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) recognized the young as the future workforce and the earliest adopters of ICT, and called for their empowerment as key contributors to building an inclusive Information Society. World leaders stated their commitment at the Summit in Tunis to actively engage youth in innovative ICT-based development programmes and widen opportunities for them.

By Jaime Herrera, Working Group on Connectivity in the Americas
All the member countries of CITEL are making efforts to bridge their internal digital divide and promote a digital culture among their citizens.  Better use is obviously made of the resources and talents involved in these efforts when they are channeled jointly to avoid duplication and scale advantages are gained in the countries. 

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By Giovani Mancilla Gaona, Group on Fraud in Telecommunication Services
At the X meeting of PCC.I, a series of workshops on the subject of fraud on the provision of telecommunication services, with the participation of international experts in this field, was approved.  The prime objective of this first workshop is to raise the awareness of the sector in the Americas about the large impact that fraud exerts, since losses stemming from fraud when providing telecommunication services are large and may consist of losses of an economic or administrative nature or deterioration of image.  These losses may affect all the players of the sector, mainly users, the State and telecommunication operators, whose financial resources have been undermined by these unscrupulous actions.

The First Workshop on the impacts of fraud on the provision of telecommunication services for States, users, and operators of the region will be held on June 21, 2007 from 9:00 to 13:00 (time of Bogotá, Colombia) through Internet. Please see additional information through our website.

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By Javier García, INDOTEL
The Dominican Republic’s demand for telecommunication services, and therefore for greater spectrum, is growing every day, and this demand also includes more authorizations for broadcasting services. In the specific case of sound broadcasting, AM stations have not had the same luck as FM stations.  One of the drawbacks of AM stations is the lack of better audio quality.

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By Héctor Carril, Group on Technical and Regulatory Aspects Related to the Effects of Electromagnetic Non-Ionizing Emissions
A new workshop organized by CITEL has analysed the status of development of the standards prepared by international organizations, and the vision of different regional regulatory bodies regarding the methods to control electromagnetic emissions.

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By Guillermo Schor-Landman, Fundación Iberoamericana de
Telemedicina A Member of Sociedad Científica Argentina
As social security systems are undergoing a deep crisis even in the most advanced countries as a result of scientific advances and longer living , health care systems are also facing a new problem. The challenge is the same for the whole world: longer life expectancy and larger use of practices and medicines; difficulties to access and transfer medical information in a fast way; and, mainly, a marked increase in the expenditure generated by a larger number of users.

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By Ana Eliza Faria e Silva, TV Globo
Digital Television has been a hot topic in the world scenario for the past few years. In Brazil, terrestrial television broadcasting is one of the most ubiquitous and important mass communications media for delivering news, information, cultural programs, and entertainment free of charge. Nine months ago the Brazilian government has made its selection for a digital television system, the ISDTV, International System for digital Television. Lessons learned from the world experience were used to delineate alternatives for exploration and deployment models that best fitted the needs and singularities of the Brazilian scenario. Brazilian system points toward the opening of new opportunities, high definition television, multiple simultaneous programs, data delivery, interactive communication and high quality mobile and portable services.

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By Victor Cruz, National Institute for Telecommunication Research and Training (INICTEL-UNI)
The effects of electromagnetic fields have been studied since the 1950s. Currently, the database of the International Electromagnetic Field Project (updated to August 2006) indicates a total of 2,462 studies of different types, of which 2,346 pertain to radiofrequency, including 1,137 on mobile telephony.

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The Government is seeking to create a new regulatory body to address the new reality of the telecommunication market. Chile now has over 18 million customers for one or another telecommunication service (mobile telephony, fixed telephony, paid television, and the Internet), the industry being that with the country’s largest number of consumers. (SUBTEL, 20 May 2007)

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On Thursday, May 17, 2007, the National Telecommunication Commission (CONATEL), in Administrative Order Nº 999, of May 7, 2007, launched a public consultation on the draft Administrative Order which would determine the portions of the available radio spectrum to be offered through a public call for proposals.(CONATEL, 17 May 2007)

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Dominican Republic: Speech of Dr. José Rafael Vargas, Secretary of State, President of Indotel and of the National Commission of the Information and Knowledge Society on May 17, the World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

In the economy of the Dominican Republic there is now a real process of technological modernization and of integration to the international markets. This encompasses all the economy sectors that have considered the needed dynamics of competition and productivity.

Dominican Republic already has more than 2 millions of Internet users. It has access to 23.3% of the population and 201 thousand accounts.

The telecommunications sector will do more than 1500 millions of dollars of investments in 2007 . (INDOTEL, 17 May 2007)

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Procedures for reviewing applications for temporary radiofrequency use should become faster. This because the Office of the General Manager for Spectrum Certification and Engineering (RFCE) of the Superintendency of Radiofrequencies and Oversight (SRF) has developed a module for the Telecommunication Services System (STEL) to streamline procedures and eliminate paper, which will facilitate the review of applications, reduce license issuing time, and optimize administrative procedures. (ANATEL, 15 May 2007)

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Nearly seven million Colombians had free Internet access for World Telecommunication Day, May 17.  On that day, Compartel made free Internet use available in all institutions with connectivity service reached by the Ministry of Communications Program. (Ministry of Communications, 15 May 2007)

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On May 14, at 5:00 p.m., Antônio Domingos Teixeira Bedran was be installed as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Telecommunication Agency (ANATEL). The new Board member will occupy the vacancy that occurred on November 4, 2005, at the end of the term of Elifas Chaves Gurgel do Amaral. (ANATEL, 14 May 2007)

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With participation by 60 officials from 33 public entities, on May 11, the Agenda for Connectivity program of the Ministry of Communications provided the first technical training on the available services of the Colombian State High Speed Network (RAVEC).(Ministry of Communications, 14 May 2007)

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The bill addresses the urban impact of the installation of support towers for mobile telephony, radio, or television antennas in cities. Additionally, to expedite the necessary investments in this industry, SUBTEL is eliminating red tape in processing licenses. (SUBTEL, 20 April 2007)

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Unless otherwise indicated, the materials published on this web site, including opinions expressed therein, are the responsibility of the individual authors/compilers and not those of the Organization of American States (“OAS”), GS/OAS, CITEL and the OAS Member States or its member countries.

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
Cooperating to bridge the digital divide and incorporate the public into the information society
First Workshop on the impacts of fraud on the provision of telecommunication services for States, users, and operators of the region
Progress in Digital Radio in the Dominican Republic
Advances in the regulation and control of non-ionizing emissions in the Americas
ICT for the management of health
The brazilian system for digital television
Biological effects and health of Electromagnetic Field