The Danish regulatory authority IT og Telestyrelsen (ITST) has opened a public consultation and announced a public hearing on convergence and next generation networks (NGNs). The regulatory authority requests input on two sets of questions.

The first area that ITST wishes to discuss concerns regulatory or technical problems can be foreseen with regard to NGNs in connection with the telecommunications legislation in Denmark. Issues can include topics such as interconnection, market analysis, the treatment of personal data, consumer protection, access to numbers and other addressing forms such as domain names or IP addresses, transnational issues, frequency administration, etc.

The second area the regulator requests input on concerns general problems that could be foreseen with regard the the European ICT strategy i2010 and the Review of the EU regulatory framework for electronic communications. This topic can encompass issues such as technological development and standardization, legislation, ensuring innovation and the creation of a positive investment climate, ensuring 'a proportionate regulatory climate' and everything related to NGNs (networks, services, terminals and markets).

Interested parties are invited to raise other subjects.

A note is appended to the consultation, which addresses questions such as:

Chapter 6 deals with the European analysis regarding the regulatory implications of the introduction of next generation networks and the (past) European Commission workshop of 22 June 2005 regarding the matter (chapter 7). Chapter 8 summarises the position of other European regulatory authorities on NGNs, detailing the position of the UK’s OFCOM. Chapters 9 and 10 address the positions of the ERG and the OECD respectively and chapter 11 the European i2010 strategy and the 2006 Review of the EU regulatory framework for electronic communications.

The ITST information note can be accessed by clicking here. 

The ITST document announcing the public hearing and the tentative topics can be accessed by clicking here.

The deadline for submitting comments is 14 June 2006.