Neletha Butterfield, Minister of the Environment, Telecommunications and E-Commerce has spoken of Bermuda's experience and growth in the telecoms sector at the fifth Annual Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Forum being held in Jamaica.

She spoke on paving the way for Next Generation Networks and promoting NGN deployment and private sector innovation in Bermuda.

During her speech, she provided an overview of Bermuda and the island's telecommunications industry.

In discussing the impact of next generation networks on Bermuda's telecommunications infrastructure, she spoke about regulatory reform process currently underway.

"Our current regulatory framework for telecommunications dates from 1986. Since then, technology and regulatory best practices have evolved, and over the past two years, my Ministry has undertaken a large-scale review of this framework," she said.

"I am pleased to say that following extensive consultation with consumers and with the industry, the Department of Telecommunications is refining the proposed reforms, which I plan to present to my Cabinet colleagues before the end of the year.

"It has been a rewarding process, though as those of you who are from states which, like Bermuda, are small islands, will appreciate, it is made all that much harder when dealing with a small population. Macro-policy changes have effects that are much more than theoretical or statistical.

"They affect people right away, and in profound ways, and you see the results up-close. This can require a more extended consultative period than other, larger, economies may themselves require."

Ms Butterfield also discussed the impact of technology convergence on regulation and the provision of services and companies at the leading edge of the development of hybrid wireless communication networks, which combine the benefits of both satellite and terrestrial mobile systems have chosen to make their home in, and launch new ventures from, Bermuda.

She said: "In order to encourage satellite operators to conduct their businesses from Bermuda, we are developing regulations for satellite networks which take into account the international regulatory framework which governs the use of the radio spectrum, the orbital resource, and the carrying on of activities in outer space.

"In doing so, we have had to preserve a level of regulatory rigour, while at the same time retaining a sufficiently flexible and "light touch" so that we don't hinder the development of innovative systems which do not fit these frameworks perfectly."

She concluded: "If there were two points on which I would counsel, they would be these: One - in planning for the regulation of next generation networks, listen to the advice of the service providers.

"They have thought about all of the angles, and know best what they need from their regulator, and two - in planning for regulation of next generation networks, don't listen to everything the service providers have to say.

"The private sector has amazing vision into their own sectors and technologies, and in the main it is proper that we get out of the way as much as we can. But, in any economy there is the public interest to consider, and in smaller economies like ours, that responsibility can be a little different.

"We know more about the players, the consumers, and behaviour of our marketplace, and we know it first-hand. This allows us to add a particular sort of value as administrators.

"A little due diligence of a new concept, or some well-placed questions about the service offering, can go a long way in helping companies provide the right kind of service to our consumers."

• The CTO is an international development partnership between Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth governments, business and civil society organisations.

It provides the international community with effective means to help bridge the digital divide and achieve social and economic development by delivering to developing countries unique knowledge-sharing programmes in the use of Information and Communication Technologies in the specific areas of Telecommunications, IT, Broadcasting and the Internet.