Investment

The deployment and improvement of network infrastructures is important to ensure the availability of high quality internet access as well as new digital services. Infrastructure needs to be updated in order to enable innovation and the birth of new commercial models and attractive digital services.

Both the underlying Internet infrastructure and new investments in broadband must be economically sustainable. This will only be achieved by adequate regulatory frameworks and the possibility of new approaches to finance.

To attract infrastructure investment the public sector must adopt approaches that provide confidence and security for investors. This requires legal certainty and a regulatory environment that supports investment in broadband and creates a level-playing-field for all companies in the digital ecosystem. The markets must also be supervised by independent regulatory authorities whose actions should be clearly aimed at boosting competition, innovation, and investment.

Better conditions for investiment in information and communication technologies are needed urgently. This means achieving a predictable and balanced legal environment. This will allow innovative projects to flourish and create new, quality jobs to replace those that are made obsolete by the digitalization of the economy.

Maintaining out-dated legal structures risks huge unemployment. This is already happening in some regions including Europe, that has lost its traditional economic lead to the United States and Asia.

 

  • Spectrum policies

    National Broadband Plans

    Spectrum is essential for investments in mobile networks. The availability of spectrum is the key to society and communications in the future.

    Investment is fundamental to the modernization of communication infrastructures and, therefore, public authorities should consider alternative methods to reduce the impact of the acquisition cost of spectrum rights.
    Assignments of additional spectrum at low frequencies such as 700MHz, 850MHz and 1900 MHz allow mobile operators to reduce broadband tariffs, without experiencing network congestion problems. The higher cost of spectrum acquisition means a lower investment capacity in infrastructure and therefore a lower development of the business, the industry and, then the digital ecosystem.

  • National Broadband Plans

    National Broadband Plans

    Today most countries have a “national broadband plan” with the purpose of increasing broadband coverage and accessibility.

    In most cases these national plans significantly contribute to the adoption of digital services and to the increase of network penetration. They contribute to the expansion of the networks to rural and remote areas and help to stimulate demand though subsidy programs aimed at lower income populations.

    The allocation of resources should be technologically neutral. Whether in relation subsidies or co-investments, spectrum, or any other measures, all operators should be able to participate in these national plans.

    The most successful national broadband plans are those that allow operators combine different available technologies such as fixed, mobile or satellite.

     

  • Public-private cooperation

    Public-private cooperation

    Private financing has been the main factor in the development of network infrastructure.

    Experience has shown that the most effective and efficient model for the deployment of new infrastructures is based on the principle of complementarity of public financing to private initiatives.

    In the case of remote or isolated regions or areas, where private investment is not feasible for commercial reasons, public-private investment has proven to be more effective than purely public investment. We believe that public-private cooperation can play a very important role in offering connectivity in these remote and isolated regions.

  • Public participation

    Public participation

    Governments play a fundamental role in two areas: in the promotion of the demand for new services that support and ecourage private investment in networks and services; and in the establishment of predictable legal and regulatory frameworks that act as an incentive for investment and innovation.

    In turn, public participation is especially relevant in:

    • The identification of the geographic areas in which public investment is adequate.
    • The definition of network components susceptible to public investment does not provide any diferentiation, such as passive infrastructure, vertical infrastructure, conducts or antenna or fiber masts.
    • The selection of suitable models of public action that have less impact on commercial operations or a lower risk of market distortion.