Regulatory Environment in Pacific countries

Muhammad Aslam Hayat Director PIRRC PIRRC – An Introduction

• PIRRC is an ICT Resource Centre for the Pacific • It is established to: • encourage sharing of information and industry data, • provide direct assistance to ICT policymakers and regulators • collaborate with NRA, policymakers, regional institutions • Funded by World Bank & ADB and housed in USP • Only ICT regulatory organization with 100% focus on Pacific

Steering Committee of PIRRC

• Tepu • Elizabeth • Charles • Criden Appi • Donnie • Alan Horne • Kazuyuki Hunter Powell Punaha Defreitas Tsuzuki

Cook PNG USP Island All Pacific Island countries & territories are eligible to draw upon resources of PIRRC Pacific is a challenging region

Level of Various levels of competition varies Availability of regulatory from monopolies indicators maturity exist to full competition

Numbering plans QoS parameters Spectrum are still being especially management developed in most broadband are in expertise PICs infancy

Competition & Universal Access Limited content schemes are being international regulations need considered connectivity to be worked on

PIRRC is working on overcoming these challenges by assisting Population is yet another challenge

Small states Nauru

17,791 99,546 54,038 10,255 1,647 20,472 9,827

Larger states Solomon Fiji FSM PNG Samoa Vanuatu Islands 860,623 111,064 6,858,266 183,081 538,148 101,991 239,651

Sources: National statistic bodies, ITU, PIRRC, World Bank Monopolies Vs Competition

Monopolies Competition

• Cook Islands • Fiji • FSM • Nauru* • Kiribati • Palau** • Niue • PNG • RMI • Samoa • Tuvalu • Solomon Islands • Tonga • Vanuatu

* Nauru has Rontel (fixed) & Digicel (mobile) ** No interconnection between PNCC & Palau Mobile Separate Regulator

No separate regulator Separate regulator

• Cook Islands • Fiji • FSM • Kiribati • Nauru • PNG • Niue • Samoa • Palau • Solomon Islands • RMI • Vanuatu • Tonga* • Tuvalu

* Tonga is working on creating a separate regulator Divergence in licensing

• Broadcasting License • Network License • Telecommunications • GSM License • Application License services license • ISP License • Content License • Radio spectrum • IGW License license • Calling Card License

Service specific Converged Unified licenses licensing licensing

PIRRC is working on harmonization of regulations across region based on best practices ICT penetration as of Dec 2010

140% Competition made a positive impact on growth of mobile 119% 120%

100% 91%

84%

80% 71% 68% Fixed Telephony 65% 60% 59% Mobile Phone 60% Internet 51%

40% 36% 34% 35% 35% 32% 27% 25% 22% 19% 20% 15% 15% 11% 11% 9% 8% 7% 8% 7% 6% 6.1% 4% 4.6% 2% 2% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0.1% 0.1% 2% 0.5% 0.1% 0% Cook Fiji FSM Kiribati Marshall Nauru Niue Palau PNG Samoa Solomon Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Islands Islands Islands

* TRR Vanuatu is revising mobile penetration Sources: PIRRC, ITU PIRRC, Sources: Major ICT programs in region

World Bank ADB ITU

• Regulatory reforms (RMI, • Submarine cable: (1) • ICT Policies FSM, Kiribati, Palau, Tonga-Fiji connectivity • Cybercrime legislation Solomon Islands, Tonga) (co-financed with WB, (2) • Broadband Policies • Pacific Regional FSM/Palau: under connectivity: (1) Tonga- consideration) Fiji connectivity, (2) Samoa, Palau/FSM: under consideration

APT SPC PIRRC

• Policy Regulation • ICT Outreach • International best Forum practices & benchmarking • Direct assistance to policy makers & regulators • Sharing of information and data collection Snapshot of PIRRC activities Thank You

For more information please visit: www.pirrc.org