The United Nations are at it again, it seems, this time deciding which crucial elements of the internet are in need of more stringent guidelines and regulations and also how much more control over the ICT and telecoms industries they need in order to keep up with the ever changing face of telecoms technology.
And it seems that they now have their eyes set on the ICT and telecommunications sector, with the intent of introducing much more stringent guidelines in order to keep pace with the ever changing face of internet and computer based technology and communications.
Over 100 years ago the International Telecommunication Union was formed by the 'league of nations' (the predecessor to the united nations) with the sole purpose of focusing on the ever expanding ICT and telecommunications industries, ensuring that the regulations were kept in line with the advancement of associated technologies.
Although ITU regulations do not carry the weight of the law, per se, they set out detailed regulation suggestions and requirements for all national level regulatory authorities, and address a wide range of topics including standardisation and economic and technical issues.
The conference is scheduled to take place later this year in Dubai, where one of the highlights will be the renegotiation of a treaty called the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs), made over 20 years ago in 1988.
The ITRs was instrumental in providing a framework of governing principles concerned with international telecommunication transport and services along with the interconnection of telecommunications facilities. The ITRs also provided the guidelines for mutual and private agreements between countries and non-governmental organisations respectively.
Although they will not be passed as law, any decisions made during the course of the world conference will send a clear message to both domestic and international regulators alike concerning the most appropriate course of action to be taken, and it will very likely be that the decisions made at the conference will go a long way to defining the internet and telecoms regulations for the 21st century.
So as to whether or not the changes (which seem inevitable) will have any long lasting or far reaching implications it remains to be seen. But one thing that is for sure is that a review of the regulations is long overdue, and whatever changes are made, it is certain that the ICT and telecommunications industries will continue to grow at an alarming rate for many years to come, guaranteeing that another review will never be far away.
And it seems that they now have their eyes set on the ICT and telecommunications sector, with the intent of introducing much more stringent guidelines in order to keep pace with the ever changing face of internet and computer based technology and communications.
Over 100 years ago the International Telecommunication Union was formed by the 'league of nations' (the predecessor to the united nations) with the sole purpose of focusing on the ever expanding ICT and telecommunications industries, ensuring that the regulations were kept in line with the advancement of associated technologies.
Although ITU regulations do not carry the weight of the law, per se, they set out detailed regulation suggestions and requirements for all national level regulatory authorities, and address a wide range of topics including standardisation and economic and technical issues.
The conference is scheduled to take place later this year in Dubai, where one of the highlights will be the renegotiation of a treaty called the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs), made over 20 years ago in 1988.
The ITRs was instrumental in providing a framework of governing principles concerned with international telecommunication transport and services along with the interconnection of telecommunications facilities. The ITRs also provided the guidelines for mutual and private agreements between countries and non-governmental organisations respectively.
Although they will not be passed as law, any decisions made during the course of the world conference will send a clear message to both domestic and international regulators alike concerning the most appropriate course of action to be taken, and it will very likely be that the decisions made at the conference will go a long way to defining the internet and telecoms regulations for the 21st century.
So as to whether or not the changes (which seem inevitable) will have any long lasting or far reaching implications it remains to be seen. But one thing that is for sure is that a review of the regulations is long overdue, and whatever changes are made, it is certain that the ICT and telecommunications industries will continue to grow at an alarming rate for many years to come, guaranteeing that another review will never be far away.
About the Author:
Saul Saresi writes regularly about Voip communications and technologies for his site which can be found here business voip previous examples of his work can be found here voip for business
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