The platform will facilitate the sharing of resources and best practices between policymakers, regulators, and other stakeholders.
Background: The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has taken a proactive stance during the coronavirus pandemic. On 19 March 2020, it launched guidelines to assist countries develop national emergency telecommunication plans and on 23 March 2020 announced more specific action to leverage its own regulatory and policymaker platform to help countries and industry cope with the increasing stress being put on global networks.
What will the platform do? The platform aims to assist policymakers, regulators and stakeholders to ensure that networks remain resilient and telecommunication services are available to as many as possible by sharing best practices and initiatives put in place during COVID-19. It will collect relevant and trustworthy information and expertise on actions that the regulatory community can use to ensure that telecommunication networks serve the appropriate need in the respective countries. This aims to help countries that still have time to prepare, by giving them an opportunity to learn from what is being done elsewhere – such as emergency spectrum reassignments, or guidelines for consumers on responsible use, among others.
How it works: Initially, the platform will simply serve as an informative tool, with resources on measures regulators and industry are taking in the current situation. However, the ITU maintains that the platform will soon be expanded to become more interactive and engaging, to result in continuous sharing throughout this crisis and beyond.
