Initial Consultation Report on Proposed Amendments to the Telecommunications and Radio-communications Regulation Act, 2009
On 5 June 2017, Telecommunications Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulator (TRBR) provided service providers and other stakeholders with a Consultation Paper about possible amendments to The Telecommunications and Radio-communications Regulation Act, 2009 (“the TRR Act”).
The Consultation Paper sought information and comments from interested parties about 12 different topics or areas for potential amendment of the Telecommunications Act. The purpose of the proposed amendments was to improve the effectiveness and clarity of the Telecommunications Act based on TRBR’s experience implementing the Telecommunications Act, including by addressing ambiguities and gaps that have been identified by TRBR and service providers.
Telecommunications Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulator (TRBR) has received comments on the Consultation Paper from Digicel (Vanuatu) Limited, Telecom Vanuatu Limited, Telsat Broadband, SpeedCast International, and Pacific ICT Regulatory Resource Centre (PIRRC).
Telecommunications Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulator (TRBR) has considered and had regard to all comments, and thanks the commenting parties for the useful substantive points made, and questions raised.
Having reviewed and considered all comments, TRBR has decided to significantly reduce the number of the proposed amendments, and has narrowed the scope of amendments that relate to regulatory powers of TRBR. This has been done in part to seek to reduce controversy and address concerns of some commenters that the proposed amendments were overly broad.