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I. Introduction1 privatization and deregulation of
telecommunication services. This implied an
1.1 Brief historical overview of the expansion of infrastructure and services, the
Blue Book Blue Book contained the first
recommendations in that respect. In 2000, the
1.1.1 The “Blue Book: Telecommunication time came to address sector transformations
Policies for the Americas” has its origins in resulting from technological evolution,
the Regional Conference on convergence, Internet growth, and the new
Telecommunication Development in the landscape generated by the promotion of
Americas (AM-WTDC-92) of the competition and the presence of new sector
International Telecommunication Union players.
(ITU), held in Acapulco, in 1992. On that
occasion, the need was underscored to offer 1.1.4 Today it may still be asserted, as it
assistance and advice to Members of the was in the 2000 edition that the Blue Book
region regarding the process of change then has served as a useful guide in the sector
under way. The Conference adopted reform process including privatization and
recommendations designed to promote the liberalization of the telecommunication
telecommunication sector throughout the market in the Americas, and that it was and
region. The Inter-American should continue to be the product of
Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) of consensus and shared vision at the regional
the Organization of American States (OAS) level.
subsequently organized a number of meetings
with a view to implementing those 1.1.5 It remains valid to consider the Blue
recommendations. Book a dynamic instrument and starting point
for further studies, one that should be
1.1.2 The outcome of ITU and CITEL periodically reviewed and updated if it is to
efforts to help their Members adapt to the remain a useful reference tool for the
evolving telecommunication environment countries of the Americas region.
was the first edition of the Blue Book.
Suggestions and comments on the first draft, 1.1.6 Today, the guidelines for updating
prepared in 1993, were made by experts the Blue Book reflect a review and evaluation
drawn from a variety of milieu. This first of the conceptual frameworks used in
draft underwent a series of revisions until its developing the Region’s telecommunication
publication in March 1996, after the 1995 policy recommendations, taking into account
Permanent Executive Committee of CITEL recent experiences and the social
(COM/CITEL) resolved that the CITEL development paradigms discussed at the most
Member States should promote and support recent Summits of the Americas.
the use of the Blue Boo
1.1.7 At the same time, it must be borne in
1.1.3 The 1990s were characterized by a mind that each state’s responsibility for
vision of a globalized world, promoting designing sector policies, following up their
evolution, and playing a guiding part in
1 The United States dissociates from this chapter promoting economic growth with equity
because it does not represent an Americas consensus; unquestionably includes taking account of the
see Preamble. In addition, the United States dissociates role of the private sector, private and public
from this chapter because it takes exception to Nation investment in research and development,
State involvement in the management of regulation, new technologies and network
telecommunications industries and markets, especially security, trade in telecommunication
including: (1) imposition of excessively restrictive equipment and services, and strategies at the
regulations; and, (2) mandating private investment in regional and world level for the development
local manufacturing. and use of information and communication
2
