Recognizing WSIS Impacts

WTDC RESOLUTION 11 (Rev. Hyderabad, 2010)

Telecommunication/information and communication technology services in rural, isolated and poorly served areas and indigenous communities

The World Telecommunication Development Conference (Hyderabad, 2010),

• recalling
  • Resolution 11 (Rev. Doha, 2006) of the World Telecommunication Development Conference,
• considering
  • a)that all world telecommunication development conferences have reaffirmed the important and urgent need to provide access to basic telecommunication/information and communication technology (ICT) services for everyone, and particularly for developing countries1 , in order to provide coverage in rural and isolated areas which lack this service, and in indigenous communities;
    • 1 These include the least developed countries, small island developing states, landlocked developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
  • b)the outputs of the first and second phases of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in relation to the importance of ensuring telecommunication/ICT services in those areas and communities,
• noting
  • that a clear correlation between the availability of universal telecommunication/ICT services and economic and social development has been firmly established,
• recognizing
  • a)that spectacular progress has been made in many developing countries through universal access to telecommunication/ICT services in rural, isolated and poorly served areas countrywide and in indigenous communities, thereby demonstrating the economic and technical feasibility of projects to provide this type of service;
  • b)that, in many areas and some developing countries, there is convincing evidence of the overall profitability of telecommunication/ICT services in rural, isolated and poorly served areas, and in indigenous communities,
• recognizing further
  • a)that there are several state-of-the-art technologies which may help to facilitate the provision of telecommunication/ICT services, in particularbroadband technologies, to rural, isolated and poorly served areas and indigenous communities;
  • b)that access to telecommunication/ICT services in rural, isolated and poorly served areas and indigenous communities can only be achieved through judicious choice of appropriate technological options (terrestrial and satellite) allowing access to and maintenance of good quality and economical services;
  • c)that ITU-D Study Group 2, in the course of its study of Question 10 in previous study periods, has collected numerous case studies relating to rural projectsand projects serving isolated areas and indigenous communities, that these case studies include the preparation, design and implementation of such projects, and that they represent an important reference to be used as lessons for successful projects covering many situations,
• resolves
  • 1 to support the principles recommended by Study Group 2 through previous and current studies of Question 10 (Telecommunications in remote and rural areas) on the best means for providing access to telecommunication/ICT services inrural, isolated and poorly served areas and indigenous communities, in terms of universalaccess, rural telecommunication programmes, regulatory framework, financial resources and commercial approach, and likewise the substance of its latest recommendation, which includes all previous recommendations and any additions made thereto in the last study period;
  • 2 to instruct Study Group 2 to take into account the aims of this resolution when continuing the study of the updated Question 10 in the next study period;
  • 3 to instruct the relevant ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau programme to submit written contributions to Study Group 2 on its experience in this area and, in particular, experience gained from the projects it has implemented and the seminars and training programmes it is executing to meet the needs of rural and isolated areas and the needs of indigenous communities,
• instructs the Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau
  • 1 to promote further the use ofall appropriate means of telecommunication/ICT to facilitate effective development and implementation of telecommunication/ICT services inrural, isolated and poorly served areas and indigenous communities of the world through the relevant programmes;
  • 2 to continue efforts to promote the optimum use by developing countriesof all available new telecommunication/ICT services, including satellite, to serve these areas and communities