ICT Challenges
PRESS STATEMENT
8th October 2006.
68/06
NEXT GENERATION NETWORKS AND CONVERGENCE PROVIDES CHALLENGES FOR ICT SECTOR IN PACIFIC.
Transformation to the new concepts, human resource skills and costs are among some of the many challenges that the next generation networks (NGN) and convergence presents to Pacific Island Countries in the Information and Communications Technology sector.
This came out of a three-day Regional ICT Meeting for Pacific " Transitions to NGN and Convergence organized by the Pacific Islands Telecommunication Association (PITA) and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), 4 - 6 October in Nadi, Fiji.
The meeting was to help telecommunication and network operators as well as regulators in the PICs deal with the issues and questions associated with the transition to the next generation technologies, understand the requirements, impacts on business and services and to examine options and strategies that would best suit their respective country.
Commenting on the challenges, the Forum Infrastructure Adviser, John Budden said: "Some of these challenges presented by the transition to NGN and Convergence have been addressed in the Regional Digital Strategy including rural connectivity."
"We have talked about convergence for the past 12 years but it is now here. However, we must be careful we are not carried away with the new technology and in the end increase the digital divide further especially in the smaller Pacific Islands. We have to strike a balance," Mr Budden said.
The three-day meeting was attended by telecommunication operators, equipment suppliers and providers, regulators and policy makers.
ENDS.
For more information, please contact, Mr John Budden, the Forum's Infrastructure Adviser on email: johnb@forumsec.org.fj,
8th October 2006.
68/06
NEXT GENERATION NETWORKS AND CONVERGENCE PROVIDES CHALLENGES FOR ICT SECTOR IN PACIFIC.
Transformation to the new concepts, human resource skills and costs are among some of the many challenges that the next generation networks (NGN) and convergence presents to Pacific Island Countries in the Information and Communications Technology sector.
This came out of a three-day Regional ICT Meeting for Pacific " Transitions to NGN and Convergence organized by the Pacific Islands Telecommunication Association (PITA) and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), 4 - 6 October in Nadi, Fiji.
The meeting was to help telecommunication and network operators as well as regulators in the PICs deal with the issues and questions associated with the transition to the next generation technologies, understand the requirements, impacts on business and services and to examine options and strategies that would best suit their respective country.
Commenting on the challenges, the Forum Infrastructure Adviser, John Budden said: "Some of these challenges presented by the transition to NGN and Convergence have been addressed in the Regional Digital Strategy including rural connectivity."
"We have talked about convergence for the past 12 years but it is now here. However, we must be careful we are not carried away with the new technology and in the end increase the digital divide further especially in the smaller Pacific Islands. We have to strike a balance," Mr Budden said.
The three-day meeting was attended by telecommunication operators, equipment suppliers and providers, regulators and policy makers.
ENDS.
For more information, please contact, Mr John Budden, the Forum's Infrastructure Adviser on email: johnb@forumsec.org.fj,
