Under the framework of EU/CoE joint project “Promoting freedom, professionalism and pluralism of the media” on April 18-20, in Kakheti, Lopota.Meeting of Small and Medium Telecom Operators Association of Georgia
, Georgian Regulation Committee, Georgian Ministry of Justice and Sustainable Development,The Office of the Personal Data Protection Inspector and Consumer Rights Defenderhad been held. Moreover on 19th of April general meeting of members of the associationwasconducted.
Mamuka Andguladze, above mentioned EU/CoE joint project manager opened the event. On the opening day Eka Kubisidze – head of Communications Information Technologies and Innovations department, Georgian Ministry of Economics and Sustainable Development – has participated in the event and addressed to the members of the association.
Merab Qatamadze attended the second day of the meeting; he reviewed the upcoming plans of the commission and later answered the questions of the members of the association.
Representatives of the Georgian Regulatory Commission Rati Skhirtladze and Zurab Gudzuadze represented the new forms of statistical data analysis and resources for the redistribution of the radio frequency spectrum for so calledWiFi operators.
Consumer rights defender, Tamta Tepanidze discussed operators’ obligations and rights of the internet users.
Representatives of The Office of the Personal Data Protection Inspector, Giorgi Mindiashvili and Giorgi Giorganashvili introduced mechanisms of personal data protection,obligations and rights of the internet users, legislation and existing obligations.
During the meeting, association members determined on following activities:
- Necessary technical and legal matters for the transmission of IPTV and OTT;
- Issues concerning the implementation oftransit broadcasting services, content and prizes of basic and prime packages, and operator’ obligations regarding consumer and copy rights;
- Matters regarding forms for the collection of the statistical date of the Telecommunication operators;
- Issues necessary for introduction of the information about the usage of the unlicensed spectrum and lines.
- Issues ofthe declaration introducedto the Georgian National Communications Committee, concerning the regulation of the competition and duping prices ofinternet on retail;
- Conditions and considerations of theself-regulation codex of internet providers;
- Issues concerning the acceptance of new assosiates and membership fee;
- Associations’ contract form for its members and associations’, as an organ of dispute reviewers, relations and directions toward its membersfor the protection of the consumer rights;
- Personal data protection issues and new regulations, also conditions and obligations existing within the legislative area;
- IXP – condition of insternet interchange center, exist ng challenges and directions;
- Issues concerning IP address registration and obtaining so called „LIR“ status in RIPE NCC;
- Issues of infrastructure of „Energo-pro Georgia“. Specifically, replacing 0.4 k/w “Deltanet” cable with an optic one.
By the end of the meeting, head of Commission direction, Mamuka Andguladze, noted that he will take the responsibility of developing associations’ rules of conduct, protect the professional ethical norms of the members and will be accountable and responsible to public.