To implement uniformity discussed at SATRC meeting

by Gamini WARUSHAMANA

The issues related to telecommunication industry are global and therefore the solutions are also global and finding individual solutions is difficult. However, finding global solutions is also difficult and therefore regional grouping such as South Asian Telecommunication Regulators Council (SATRC) is very important, said the Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Toshiyuki Yamada.

He was addressing the media at the conclusion of 11th SATRC meeting held in Colombo last week. SATRC is the only sub regional organisation in the APT which started 11 years ago.

The heads of the telecommunication regulatory bodies of the SAARC countries and Iran participated at the three days conference and discussed the issues obstructing the rapid growth of the ICT in the region. Director General of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) of Sri Lanka Priyantha Kariyapperuma said that maintaining global standards, introduce new technologies, share experience, remove regulatory barriers that obstructing the growth of the industry,improve regional connectivity, sharing infrastructure are the matters discussed at the conference.

"We discussed how to connect South Asia region and proposals will be presented to the policy-makers whatever their political view", Kariyapperuma said. "South Asia region is a huge market with 2 billion population. We need best practices in the business as well as in regulation."

Implementation of a uniform rate for calls made within the region was an important matter that discussed, Kariyapperuma said. This is a proposal made by Sri Lanka at last SAARC summit.