During the period October 1st 2015 to October 2016, the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) engaged in a process of consultation with industry and other stakeholders on the Draft Electronic Communications (EC) Bill and the New Licensing Regime/Templates as well as on the Draft Electronic Communications (Quality of Service) Regulations, Draft Electronic Communications (Dispute Resolution) Regulations and other Regulations. The consultation process has now ended and ECTEL is pleased to publish comments received from stakeholders during the process and to provide responses to those comments.
The Draft Bill and Regulations were developed with the assistance of a team of consultants, using international best practice. The Draft Bill and Regulations were approved by the ECTEL Board of Directors at the 76th Board Meeting held in Saint Lucia on October 7th 2016. Approval of the Draft Bill and Regulations was also granted by the Council of ECTEL Ministers at the 34th Council of Ministers Meeting held in Saint Lucia on October 13th 2016. Subject only to edits by the Attorneys General’s Offices/Ministries of Legal Affairs as the legislation are presented to ECTEL Contracting States for vetting and enactment by parliament, the draft legislation exhibited here will represent the final product.
Once approved by the Contracting States, the legislation will be published in the Official Gazette of each ECTEL Contracting State and will subsequently be made available on the ECTEL website and on the website of the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commissions (NTRCs).
The draft legislation includes:
1. The Draft Electronic Communications Bill (EC Bill); Please click here to view.
• ECTEL’s Response to Consultation on Draft EC Bill and related matter.
2. The Draft Electronic Communications (Quality of Service) Regulations;Please click here to view.
• ECTEL’s Response to Consultation on Draft Quality of Service Regulations Please click here to view.
3. The Draft Electronic Communications (Dispute Resolution) Regulations; (Will be submitted soon)
• ECTEL’s Response to Consultation on Draft Dispute Resolution Regulations (Will be submitted soon)
4. Draft Submarine Cable Landing (Interconnection or Access) Regulations;
Please click here to view.
Please click here to view.
5. Draft Consumer Protection Regulations;Please click here to view.
6. Draft Network Infrastructure and Wholesale Access Regulations;Please click here to view.
7. Draft Guidelines on Market Analysis and the Assessment of Significant Market Power for Networks and Services.Please click here to view.
ECTEL expects to publish the comments from stakeholders and its responses to the Draft Tribunal Guidelines and the Universal Services Guidelines and Regulations shortly. It is anticipated that the Draft rules, regulations and guidelines: Tribunal Guidelines, Universal Service Guidelines, Universal Regulations and Retail Pricing Regulations will be published before the end of the first half of 2017.
The Directorate further expects to consult with stakeholders on the following matters during the period October 2016 to October 2017:
1. Roaming Regulations and Bill
2. Number Portability Regulations.
3. Reasonable Network Management
4. Over the Top Services
The Directorate wishes to express gratitude to stakeholders who participated and contributed to these consultations and looks forward to further contributions on future consultations.