The telecommunication industry is undergoing major transformation worldwide with the migration towards Next Generation Network. The evolution of NGN poses new challenges to telecom regulators with respect to accounting and regulating. Regulators across the world now have to create frameworks that protect Government and operators’ revenues as well as consumers’ rights.
Defending government revenues
With the emergence of smarter mobile phone, international Service Providers, Application/Content Providers, and VoIP Service Providers are delivering their services beyond borders. Consequently, traditional international settlements between operators and service providers are becoming more complex to oversee. Payments are now taking place over the Internet, outside of the territories where the service was sold and outside of any fiscal jurisdiction. Hence, the “consumer countries” find themselves with a larger “international settlement deficit”, having to pay directly to the countries providing the content and services.
Governments of emerging countries are hence facing major issues. It has become extremely important for regulators to take into accounts these new sources of revenues and all the taxes associated with them need to take into account all cross border payments.
Protecting operator
Technologies such as VoIP and video conference over 3G networks are taking over the usage of mobile networks and becoming more and more accessible to the general population. Thus, many providers are upgrading and reconfiguring their networks to sustain the heavy load of data traffic. Moreover, value added service and content/application providers are booming around the world and they are submerging the mobile networks with new applications. By doing so, they are adding an extra charge to these networks.
There should be a regulation that imposes an access charge to content providers that request a large bandwidth. Regulators should intervene to label content by their nature and work with both providers and mobile operators to find a common ground.
Standing for consumer right
IP in essence provides the ability to eliminate distances and thus creates a virtual bridge between cellular phone users around the world. Thus, consumers are now exposed to all types of virtual abuses such as spamming, unwanted advertising, bad quality of service, price abuse, cyber attacks, electronic crime and identity theft. Moreover, Network billing per bit has become a new reality and consumers are often overcharged to access information.
It is important for regulators to step in and fix the necessary standards to protect consumers form accidental data activation. Furthermore, consumers need a neutral party to monitor their quality of service and stand for their best interest. They need an institution to turn to and voice their complaints regarding unfair bit rates or if they ever feel that the accounting system used to invoice them is abusive.
In the midst of all these technological advances, regulators ought to get more involved and acquire the best tools to protect governments, operators and the end consumers.
Defending government revenues
With the emergence of smarter mobile phone, international Service Providers, Application/Content Providers, and VoIP Service Providers are delivering their services beyond borders. Consequently, traditional international settlements between operators and service providers are becoming more complex to oversee. Payments are now taking place over the Internet, outside of the territories where the service was sold and outside of any fiscal jurisdiction. Hence, the “consumer countries” find themselves with a larger “international settlement deficit”, having to pay directly to the countries providing the content and services.
Governments of emerging countries are hence facing major issues. It has become extremely important for regulators to take into accounts these new sources of revenues and all the taxes associated with them need to take into account all cross border payments.
Protecting operator
Technologies such as VoIP and video conference over 3G networks are taking over the usage of mobile networks and becoming more and more accessible to the general population. Thus, many providers are upgrading and reconfiguring their networks to sustain the heavy load of data traffic. Moreover, value added service and content/application providers are booming around the world and they are submerging the mobile networks with new applications. By doing so, they are adding an extra charge to these networks.
There should be a regulation that imposes an access charge to content providers that request a large bandwidth. Regulators should intervene to label content by their nature and work with both providers and mobile operators to find a common ground.
Standing for consumer right
IP in essence provides the ability to eliminate distances and thus creates a virtual bridge between cellular phone users around the world. Thus, consumers are now exposed to all types of virtual abuses such as spamming, unwanted advertising, bad quality of service, price abuse, cyber attacks, electronic crime and identity theft. Moreover, Network billing per bit has become a new reality and consumers are often overcharged to access information.
It is important for regulators to step in and fix the necessary standards to protect consumers form accidental data activation. Furthermore, consumers need a neutral party to monitor their quality of service and stand for their best interest. They need an institution to turn to and voice their complaints regarding unfair bit rates or if they ever feel that the accounting system used to invoice them is abusive.
In the midst of all these technological advances, regulators ought to get more involved and acquire the best tools to protect governments, operators and the end consumers.
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