Presentation from The Pacific Islands Telecommunication Association PITA

Presentation from The Pacific Islands Telecommunication Association (PITA) Approaches to partnerships and consolidation : overcoming the special issues of the small islands developing states “Open consultations on financial mechanisms : Meeting the Challenges of ICT for Development” 8 – 9 october 2009 Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland

About PITA The Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association was formed in 1996 § A Non profit organisation based in Fiji dedicated to improve, promote, enhance and facilitate the development of communications services within the Pacific. 134 members from 22 pacific islands states (42 operators, 13 regulatory bodies and governments & 79 industry suppliers and services providers) § different fields of activities : Workshops, Training, CEO meetings, working groups …etc…

PITA presentation Geneva 9 oct 2009 3

Background – Pacific Region consists 1000’s small islands scattered over 54 million square kilometers of ocean. population over 9, 1 million § Telecommunications technologies on these islands are limited. § Islands don’t have the additional resources or monetary means to deal with critical ICT development § Most Pacific Island status is either least developed or developing.

PITA presentation Geneva 9 oct 2009 Typical challenges faced by Pacific Islands With these special challenges, who can afford to own a back up system? 5

Special issues – Pacific Region lack of economies of scales limited capacity and resource unique challenges for connectivity and access

Approaches of ICT for development – Pacific Region partnerships : A need to intensify close working relationship to overcome the geographical & social, politic & economic diversity promote private / public projects inter-governmental / operators / Industry cooperation

Approaches of ICT for development – Pacific Region Consolidation : A need to reach volumes to reduce cost for ICT connectivity and capacity building Examples : satellite capacity & ground infrastructure cable connectivity capacity building for operators capacity building for regulators

Approaches of ICT for development – Pacific Region Consolidation : The way forward : consolidate the needs of the 22 Pacific islands or sub groups find the right solutions or mixture of options with industry Key elements : - transnational projects to be encouraged - Private public structures to implement and manage in a transparent way - coordinated approach in funding arrangements

PITA’s experience § In meeting the challenges for ICT development in the Pacific PITA have integrated partnerships and consolidation in its action plans Internet first brought in the Pacific via PITAnet (1997) Roaming clearing house for Pacific (2003) investigating of consolidation of satellite capacity (start in 2003) Emergency and Disaster Communication system (ready for service)

PITA’s experience Emergency and Disaster Communication system (ready for service)

PITA presentation Geneva 9 oct 2009 Proposed central locations for Emergency communications sets and area. 12

PITA’s experience MOU’s with all actors in the field of ICT (ITU, APT, CTO, PIFS, SPC, SOPAC, WB, ICANN, APNIC, ATFRA… ) Inter members Technical cooperation (TCDC) workshops & training programs for all players from government, Operators, industry solution providers

PITA’s cooperation with Pacific Islands governments and IGO’s WRC 2007 – Fixed satellite services for the Pacific islands under threat Jan 07 : Potential threat identified on Fixed Satellite services on which the Pacific Islands region heavily relies on for their communications. paper entitled “IMT-2000 AND SYSTEMS BEYOND IMT‑ 2000”. submitted to the 5 th Meeting of the APT Conference Preparatory Group for WRC-2007 (APG 2007 -5) held from 16 to 21 July 2007 in Busan, Rep. of Korea. The “PITA platform” was used to facilitate coordination between regulators & operators & industry prior to submission of this paper Outcome of WRC 07 : limitation on the initial plans to open the C band fixed satellite services to terrestrial services

PITA’s cooperation with Pacific Islands governments and IGO’s WTSA 2008 – Johannesburg : A common approach to combat fraudulent use of numbering resources in the Pacific successful in getting preparatory meetings (Kobe-june 08 & Hanoi-sept 08) to agree to a proposed resolution submitted by the Cook islands to give the Regulators greater power to deal with “Number Hijacking” problems as a Preliminary APT Common Proposal (PACP) The APT Common Proposal (ACP) was submitted to WTSA 2008 held in Johannesburg – oct 08 and approved – Papua New Guinea moved this forward successfully with adoption of ITU T resolution 61

Summary Many areas which are in high demand of collaborative and cooperative work – one of them is crucial to set up the scene for the future of services: convergence. Regulators and policy makers, operators, solutions providers will continue to gain efficiency from sharing more and more PITA will advocate for cooperation at its maximum in order to get the Pacific islanders full benefit of ICTs and therefore feeling closer to each other. In regards to financial mechanisms for projects aiming at “Meeting the Challenges of ICT for Development” a coordinated approach among all players is a must.

PITA presentation Geneva 9 oct 2009 Thank you www. pita. org. fj 17