The GSMA Capacity Building Program and the Central Asian Cellular Forum (CACF) based in Islamabad-Pakistan signed a strategic agreement to deliver GSMA course content in several countries across Central Asia including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
The objective of the agreement signed between the two organizations is to help policymakers, regulators and other mobile eco-system stakeholders keep pace with the latest industry developments through training courses that highlight examples of policy and regulatory best practice from around the world.
Courses that will be offered by the GSMA Capacity Building Program and CACF include:
1) Advance Spectrum Management for Mobile Telecommunications
This course considers the history and technical evolution of mobile telecommunications before moving on to cover the core functions of the spectrum manager. Participants will learn about how spectrum is used, the characteristics of spectrum bands and the progression of mobile technologies. The course also covers the principles of spectrum planning at a national, regional and international level. A deep dive into spectrum licensing will be followed by an overview of regulatory topics that relate to spectrum, such as infrastructure sharing, and numerous illustrative case studies.
Face-to-face: 2 day course / Online: 5 week course
Register for online course
2) Children and Mobile and Technology
Children and young people are among the most avid users of mobile technologies, which can have a tremendously positive impact on their lives. Like any tool, however, mobile technologies can be used to cause harm, and parents, governments and industry have a role in protecting and supporting children who are connected. This course looks at the issue from several angles, including cultural differences regarding children’s use of mobile devices, child online protection and whether regulation is necessary.
Face-to-face: 2 day course / Online: 3 week course
Register for online course
3) Competition Policy in the Digital Age
Competition in mobile telecommunications is multifaceted and dynamic. Regulatory authorities must be alert to rapid technological changes that impact infrastructure competition and the related downstream and upstream markets. This course provides a foundation for understanding the rules of competition and the regulatory powers that apply to the telecommunications sector, within the background of a wider competitive landscape that now includes Over-The-Top players.
Face-to-face: 2 day course/ Online: 4 week course
Register for online course
4) Disaster Preparedness and Response
Research into the role that mobile networks play in disaster response highlights the importance of providing access to critical communication and information for affected populations, as well as providing communication between these communities, humanitarian agencies and the international community. Recent emergencies, such as the Ebola crisis in West Africa and the earthquake in Nepal in April 2015, highlight the increasingly important role mobile plays during times of crisis. As mobile communication becomes ever more critical to the success of disaster response efforts, and as the ecosystem becomes more complex, there is a need for policymakers and regulators to better understand how they can support the benefits that mobile communication delivers during emergencies.
Face-to-face: 1 day course/ Online: 4 week course
Register for online course
5) Internet of Things
The Internet of Things (IoT) holds tremendous promise for citizens, consumers, businesses and governments. Referring to machines, devices and appliances of all kinds that are connected to the internet through multiple networks, IoT has the means to shrink healthcare costs, reduce carbon emissions, increase access to education, improve transportation safety and much more. This course provides a high-level overview of IoT concepts from a mobile perspective, outlines the role IoT can play in enhancing the quality of life of citizens and explains the key differences between traditional telecoms services and the IoT world. It also discusses the implications that IoT has for policymakers and regulators. This course is accredited by the UKTA.
Face-to-face: 2 day course/ Online: 4 week course
Register for online course
6) Leveraging Mobile to Achieve SDG
In September 2015, the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was unanimously adopted by world leaders. The agenda details 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets that act as the world’s to-do list to end poverty reduce inequalities and tackle climate change. Countries have committed to act in collaborative partnership with other stakeholders to implement the plan by 2030. The mobile industry is delivering a vast range of programs and initiatives to support these efforts. This course offers practical advice and case studies to help governments understand how they can harness the power of mobile in their efforts to achieve national sustainable development targets.
Face-to-face: 2 day course/ Online: 4 week course
7) Mobile Money for Financial Inclusion
Mobile money services are proliferating in many countries, providing ‘unbanked’ citizens with the ability to manage their money and make financial transactions efficiently and securely. While the business model has been proven through hundreds of self-sustaining services, many countries have only a nascent mobile money sector. Meanwhile, in mature markets the mobile money platform is now used to offer a broader range of financial and mobile-for-development services. This course provides an in-depth look at mobile money services — how they work, the stakeholders involved and the regulatory enablers, as well as critical issues such as cross-network interoperability.
Face-to-face: 1 day course/ Online: 4 week course
Register for online course
8) Mobile for Socio-Economic Development
The potential of mobile technologies to enhance people’s lives and generate economic value is unprecedented. Governments in every country have a responsibility to create the conditions that maximize the benefits for society. This intensive course highlights the contribution that the mobile industry and mobile technologies make to the economy, and the wide range of mobile services that, particularly in developing countries, can transform people’s lives. Participants will learn about regulatory best practices for the mobile sector, as well as practical steps that can accelerate the delivery and uptake of mobile-driven education, healthcare and financial services.
Face-to-face: 3 day course/ Online: 6 week course
Register for online course
9) Mobile Sector Taxation
In many countries, in a variety of ways, governments impose substantial taxes on the mobile industry – above and beyond standard corporate tax. Sector-specific taxation is never without consequences; for mobile operators, special taxes affect consumer prices as well as operators’ ability to build and upgrade their networks. This course takes a critical look at mobile industry taxation, the outcomes thereof, and how telecoms regulators can affect the level of sector-specific taxation. This course is accredited by the UKTA.
Face-to-face: ½ day course/ Online: 3 week course
Register for online course
10) Principles of Internet Governance
Internet governance is the development of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures and programs that shape the evolution and use of the Internet. The policies and processes involved in internet governance have taken center stage over the last several years and are of concern to all stakeholders engaged in internet issues. This course will provide an overview of internet governance through its history, institutions, processes and people. The course will discuss and analyse the actual or potential consequences of different policy approaches, including the multi-stakeholder model, which have been either adopted or proposed for internet governance at the national, regional and global level.
Face-to-face: 2 day course/ Online: 4 week course
Register for online course
11) Principles of Mobile Privacy
The growth of the mobile internet and converged services is creating new challenges related to the use and protection of people’s personal information, as data flows between multiple parties, in real time, across geographic borders. This course investigates the current state of mobile privacy, highlights research on consumer attitudes towards their privacy and examines current and emerging regulations around the world. The course also reviews the GSMA’s universal mobile privacy principles, Privacy Design Guidelines for app developers and industry initiatives that give consumers more control over how their information is used.
Face-to-face: 1 day course/ Online: 4 week course
Register for online course
12) Radio Signals and Health
The effect of radio transmissions on health has been studied extensively, leading to international standards for network antennas and exposure limits for workers and the public. Despite the ever-growing body of scientific knowledge, many people continue to be concerned about electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and their impact on health. This course looks at the state of the science, standards for mobile technologies, regulatory compliance and public awareness and education. This course has is accredited by the UKTA.
Face-to-face: 1 day course/ Online: 4 week course
Register for online course
13) Weighing the Benefits of Universal Service Funds
Governments in many countries impose a levy on the mobile sector to fund network deployment in areas where the market conditions do not support commercial investment. While the ultimate objective of universal service is laudable, the results of this approach have been mixed. This course looks at the record of universal service funds (USFs) in achieving their objectives and considers alternative approaches to connecting the unconnected. This course is accredited by the UKTA.
Face-to-face: ½ day course/ Online: 3 week course
Register for online course
14) Women and Mobile
It is widely recognized that information and communications technology can have a positive socio-economic impact on women’s lives. Unfortunately there is currently a significant gender gap associated with access to, and use of, the internet and mobile broadband services. This gender gap can be attributed to a number of factors including the cost of devices and services, network coverage, concerns around security and harassment, as well as a lack of technical literacy amongst women. This course explains the background to the issues and focuses on strategies that can be used to help close the gender gap.
Face-to-face: 1 day course/ Online: 4 week course
To learn more about GSMA Capacity Building program or to register for an upcoming online course, visit GSMA Capacity Building eLearning portal https://www.gsma.com/publicpolicy/capacity-building or contact local CACF office at rizwan@3gca.org