On 19-20 February 2019 in Tbilisi (Georgia), the Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT) experts conducted seminars on the issues of radio spectrum management and open internet principles for representatives of the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC), ministries, other state authorities, electronic communication services providers, and operators. These seminars were organised within the framework of the Twinning project GE/15/ENI/TE/01/16 (GE/27) “Supporting the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) in developing of its electronic communications regulatory framework and operational capacities in line with EU regulatory framework“. During the visit in Georgia, the RRT Director Feliksas Dobrovolskis had a meeting with Giedrius Puodžiūnas, Ambassador of Lithuania to Georgia, and introduced the main project aims, discussed the situation of information communication technologies (ICT) in this country.
During the seminar held on 19 February 2019, the Georgian regulator was introduced recommendations on radio spectrum management aimed at promoting the development of broadband radio communication, including 5G, in Georgia. The seminar participants agreed that radio spectrum management raises a number of challenges to the national regulator related with licencing, international coordination, and performance of other functions. The fact that currently the mobile communication in Georgia covers a smaller part of the country’s territory is determined by the peculiarities of relief in this country. It was also acknowledged that only the role of the regulator in conducting the development is not sufficient and the operators’ initiative in expanding the services and providing them in a bigger territory of the country was also necessary.
On 20 February 2019, the RRT experts together with an expert from Croatia conducted a seminar on the topic of applying open internet principles in the European Union and gave practical advice how to build an internet exchange point. The RRT representatives introduced the Lithuanian experience in implementing the EU open internet provisions laid down in the Regulation (EU) 2015/2120 to the Georgian colleagues and market participants, also examined practical aspects in applying these provisions, and familiarised with the good practice of Lithuania and European Union countries. The Croatian representative introduced the principles on building an IP-based broadband internet infrastructure and provided practical advice how to create the internet exchange point, also discussed technical aspect of this solution.
RRT is a senior partner implementing the Twinning project in cooperation with German and Polish experts. The project implementation has been scheduled until mid-2019.
Updated on 2019-03-01