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Analysis of Barclays Bank EssayIntroductionThe process of restructuring the telecommunication sector truly got nether style in Cameroon in June 1995, when the authorities decided thoroughly to reform network industry sectors such as water, electricity and telecommunications with a view to creating a plausive surroundings in which to develop their infrastructure and services and thus to satisfy increasingly exigent demand. The process took the form of liberalization, State withdrawal from the sectors concerned and the validation of amarket structure enabling Cameroon to remain in step with the especially rapid global developments in the telecommunication sector indeed, in appall of the investments made, the coverage rate and quality of service offered had remained largely inadequate. The process was carried out not only by defining the conditions and mechanisms liable to guarantee the sectors opening to snobbish initiative, but also by enacting regulations and taking measur es intended to enable the sector to play the decisive role incumbent on it in Cameroons economic development.telecommunication sector reform in Cameroon is not limited to the establishment of new regulations and statute, to the revision of the institutional framework and the establishment of an interconnection regime or to the interpolation of competition. It should also comprise bringing behaviour in line with the times. One of our chief concerns is therefore also effective application of the regulations with a view to fulfilling the worldwide service obligation, ensuring consumer protection and providing for effective and appropriate regulation of true competition. The acquisition of the required know-how is the biggest challenge we face. The institutional players on Cameroons telecommunications scene are, as in many a(prenominal) other African countries, of the opinion that any society that delays in jumping on the NTIC train will remain mired in a bow of underdevelopment.O bservations BackgroundBefore 1990, as in most African countries, telecommunication services were managed by a national publicly-owned monopoly. The administration in charge of telecommunications effect the rules, ensured they were applied and was itself an operator. The results did not always live up to expectations. In June 1990, the President of the Republic signed the order on the programme to privatize public and semi-public enterprises. The telecommunication sector was added to the programme in June 1995. In July 1998, law 98/014 governing telecommunications in Cameroon (the Telecommunications Act) was promulgated.It completed the Telecommunication Regulatory procedure and attributed sector responsibilities to a salmagundi of players the operation oftelecommunication networks to operators, regulatory matters, i.e. application of the rules and supervision of operators, to a regulatory body, the definition of sector policy and the enactment of market regulations to the telecom munication administration. In kinsfolk of the equivalent year, two public enterprises, CAMTEL for the fixed telephone service and CAMTEL MOBILE for the mobile telephone service, were set up to take over the telecommunication activities of the Ministry of punt and Telecommunications and of the public enterprise INTELCAM, which was in charge of operate and developing international telecommunication installations.The Telecommunication Regulatory Agency was set up at thesame time. Immediately after, the sale of a mobile telephone licence and the process of privatizing CAMTEL and CAMTEL MOBILE got under way. In June 1999, a mobile telephone licence was tending(p) to a private enterprise. The privatization of CAMTEL MOBILE was completed in February 2000. The privatization of CAMTEL is not yet complete. A third mobile telephone licence is to be issued. In little than two years, the sector has undergone sweeping change. Suffice it to mention one indicator in January 2000 there was one mobile telephone operator with about 5 000 subscribers on 31 March 2001 there were two operators with over 140 000 subscribers. This rapid and in-depth transformation is taking place within a constantly up(p) legal framework.IIA liberal legal frameworkThe development of new technologies and liberalization have permitted access to new telecommunication services which, depending on their specific natures, require appropriate regulation. The Telecommunications Act sets forth a new regulatory framework, opening the telecommunication sector to competition. The framework, which distinguishes between public and private networks, providiethylstilbesterol for iii legal written texts concessions, confidencesand declarations.1ConcessionsThe State can grant one or several public or private corporate bodies all or recrudesce of its rights to establish and/or operate telecommunication networks. The concession is subject to strict compliance with the requirements set forth in a sway of term s and conditions. This arrangement allows the State not only to keep a watchful eye on the harmonious development of modern telecommunication infrastructure, but also and to a higher place all to heighten its control over the development and supply of the basic services and facilities us ually demanded by the majority of users.2AuthorizationsThe arrangement of prior authorization applies to the establishment and/or operation of telecommunication networks by physical persons or corporate bodies with a view to providing the public with a basic telecommunication service, a value-added service, a bearer service or any other service by using one or several piano tuner frequencies. A list of terms and conditions containing the requirements to be met is attached to the licence issued to the bearer of a prior authorization. The authorization is issued for a fixed period and can be withdrawn under certain circumstances.3DeclarationsDeclarations apply to the establishment of private interna l networks, low-range and low-capacity private independent networks (that are not radio networks), low-range and low-capacity radio installations (to be determinedby the Administration), and the provision to the public of telecommunication services other than those subject to the arrangements of concession and authorization. Telecommunication terminal equipment is either freely provided or subject to type-approval.Certain nutriment of the Telecommunications Act are detailed in decrees and implementing legislation. We shall not examine all of them here indeed, some of them are let off being drafted. The reform in Cameroon established the separation between the regulatory and operating functions. It works in favour of operators being entities controlled by private capital. The general framework for competition is governed by legislation on competition. The legal framework is supplemented by institutions.III 1A revised institutional framework The telecommunication administrationSpect rum management and the legislation and regulations relating to telecommunications are the exclusive domain of the State. The telecommunication administration has been invested, on behalf of the government, with general jurisdiction over the sector. It sets the general regulatory framework. It therefore establishes and implements telecommunication sector policy, whose aim moldinessiness be to safeguard the missions of public service, to promote harmonious network development throughout the national territory and effective private sector participation in the sectors wealth and employment-generating activities, and to ensure compliance by all operators with the applicable treaties, laws and regulations.In addition, the administration supervises the telecommunication sector, oversees public telecommunication enterprises, represents the State at international telecommunication-related organizations and events, and manages the radio spectrum on behalf of the State. The Telecommunication Regulatory Agency, which technically answers to the telecommunication administration, is the specialized body in charge offacilitating actual application of the regulations issued.2The Telecommunication Regulatory AgencyThe organization of the Telecommunication Regulatory Agency established by the Telecommunications Act is set forth in decree No. 98/197 of 8 kinfolk 1998. The Agency has three main duties to ensure the regulations are implemented to guarantee respect for the regulations and the exercise of competition to settle certain disputes between operators. The Agencys regulatory dresser is subject to performance of the following activities definition of the principles governing tariffs for services examination of requests for authorization and declaration and of type-approval files for terminal equipment to be connected to public networks establishment of principles for cipher interconnection costs establishment and management of numbering plans management of the fr equencies attributed to telecommunications submission to the government of proposals aimed at developing and modernizing the sector opinions on draft legislative and regulatory texts concerning telecommunicationscontrol and penalties for infractions.The Agency is specifically competent to settle disputes concerning interconnection, access to a public network, numbering, cases of harmful interference, and sharing of infrastructure. The Telecommunications Act provides the Agency with a quasi-judicial body and an arbitrament procedure can be set in motion should one or the other of the parties be opposed. The parties remain free to bring their case forward the competent court.IVHuman resourcesHuman resources are the key to management and progress, for they have knowledge, that rarest of economic commodities in the 21st century. The current transition from a monopoly environment to that of controlled competition has given rise to new demands in terms of basic knowledge and know- how in telecommunication regulation. Telecommunication leaders and staff in Cameroon were still dealing with the transition from analogue to digital when circuit switching was suddenly replaced by packet switching. This recent change has reshaped the concept and definition of telecommunication networks and services. E reallything must therefore be done to make sure the human resources pack the skills they need for their own development and that of companies, which create wealth for the well-being of peoples.The Ecole Nationale Suprieure des Postes et Tlcommunications, an independent facility run by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, provides basic instruction in telecommunications and ICT to technicians (technical and operating staff), supervising technicians (operating technicians and supervisors) and senior technical managers (works engineers and operating inspectors). It plans to organize standing professional certification for the staff of public and private enterprises and of the public administrations in charge of telecommunications and ICT.VInternational cooperationCameroon has always been present and supple in regional and international telecommunication organizations. It is a member of the Administrative Councils of both the African Telecommunication Union (ATU) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It has had very few bilateral exchanges of experience and information with other African countries. The ineffectiveness of regional (ATU) and subregional organizations (CAPTAC) has precluded the launch at subregional level of cooperation activities aimed at developing telecommunications in Cameroon. At the international level, ITUhas not been closely involved in telecommunication sector reform.In the past eight years, it has provided some technical assistance but other almost no support for telecommunication development projects in Cameroon, possibly because the Area Office in Yaound is not functioning. The capacities of the Area O ffice in Yaound should be reinforced. Its main duties should be To disseminate ITU documents and information in the area. For this, it should have the means required to provide the documentation centres of the main players in each of the areas countries with the documents and books needed to acquire knowledge in telecommunications and ICT, for most of the sectors African managers will have to teach themselves. In this respect, hard as opposed to electronic copies remain invaluable in Africa.