1. CITEL Fellowship

Download the complete version:

1) Place of Study: The e-learning platform of the International Telecommunication Union ITU, Centre of Excellence for the Americas Region (Tel: (54) 3543 44 4222, e-mail: excelencia-cursos@ubp.edu.ar) over the Excellence Network Node and Regional Training Center of CITEL: Colombian Association of Engineers (ACIEM) (TE: (571) 3690424, Bogotá D.C., e-mail: aciem@cable.net.co).

2) Starting and ending date: September 22nd to October 31st, 2003

3) Deadline of Reception of Applications:  September 12, 2003 in Washington, D.C [1].

4) Duration: Six (6) weeks.

5) Language: Spanish and English. Candidates will be given the choice of taking the course in one of the two languages.

6) General Objectives: To study the regulatory, managerial, and technical aspects with the greatest impact on interconnection in order to provide new decision-making input.

Specific Objectives:

• To evaluate the main technical, financial, and legal aspects involved in interconnection of telecommunications networks

• To study the main experiences of interconnection worldwide

• To identify the key aspects to be considered in interconnection processes

• To identify the principal factors affecting interconnection prices

• To study the main features of interconnection contracts.

On completion of the course, participants will be able to identify the main factors involved in initiating a process among fixed and mobile operators for interconnection of telecommunications networks, and the type of regulation existing in this area.  They will also be able to identify the essential elements of an interconnection contract to be considered in entering into the respective agreements.

7) Program:

FIRST AND SECOND WEEK

Voice network interconnection

• Interfaces and basic transmission units

• Essential facilities (space, power supply, air conditioning)

• Technical characteristics of interconnection nodes (switching, transmission, and synchronization)

• Availability

• Quality of service (QoS)

• Tariffing

• Technical conciliation mechanisms

• Traffic measurements

• Basic traffic concepts

• Interconnection schemes

• Interconnection estimation methods (calculation of direct connections and of overload)

• Signaling

• Network unbundling

• Oversizing

• Test protocols

• Maintenance, fault reporting procedures, and contingency plans

• Voice network interconnection

THIRD WEEK:

Data Network interconnection

• Availability

• Interfaces

• Data network interconnection case study

• Maintenance, fault reporting procedures, and contingency plans

• Test protocols

FOURTH AND FIFTH WEEK

Interconnection prices and access, and increasing competition in the telecommunications industry (price and tariff models).

Introduction

• Status of the telecommunication industry and the interconnection process

• The telecommunications industry; the regulatory process, the approach thereto, and expansion thereof

• Stages in the interconnection regulation process

• When regulatory intervention is needed to set cost-based interconnection prices

• Mission and role of the regulatory entity

• Reasons for regulation of interconnection

Approaches to setting interconnection tariffs

• Perfect competition versus perfect monopoly

• Perfect competition versus effective competition

• Regulatory principles for setting regulated prices

• Historic costs versus prospective costs

• Incremental cost theory

• Approaches to setting interconnection tariffs

• Choice of interconnection standards

 Top Down models - technique

• TOP-DOWN models:  basic concept

• TOP-DOWN models:  information requirements

• TOP-DOWN models:  network structure

• Historic TOP-DOWN models:  Fully distributed costs (FDC) models

• Historic TOP-DOWN models:  Long Run Incremental Costs (LRIC)

• TOP-DOWN models:  technique

 Bottom-up models – technique

• BOTTOM-UP models:  basic concept

• Use of BOTTOM-UP models

• BOTTOM-UP models:  technique

• Setting MARK-UP to take account of overheads

 Efficient benchmarks:  The read across methodology

• BOTTOM-UP models:  basic concept

• International comparisons.  Benchmarks

 Tariff structure

• Basic principles of charge structure

• Interconnection costs:  use

• Other interconnection charges

• Costs per network element:  determining the cost of the different types of interconnection

• Special cases:  Sender-keeps-all - capacity

• Interconnection tariffs:  practices worldwide

• Conclusions

SIXTH WEEK:

The interconnection contract

• Legal nature of interconnection contracts

• Elements of interconnection contracts

• Effects of interconnection contracts

• Legal effects of basic interconnection offer or reference interconnection offer

• Legal characteristics of mandatory imposition of interconnection (servitude).

8) Methodology: The distance-learning course will take place over an eight (8) week period and will be taught over the ITU e-learning platform.  On a weekly basis, tutors will assist the participants accessing the Web/CT to: a) access course sessions, b) read support materials, c) download assigned exercises or activities, d) complete or continue with weekly activities or exercises, and e) post their answers for tutor's review, evaluation and clarification if necessary.  In addition, each week the tutors will send the group a consolidated analysis of their answers, together with any individual clarifications or explanations that may be necessary.

9) Requirements:

a. Be a citizen or permanent resident of one of the OAS member States, except Colombia, as this is the host country (residents must send copy of valid visa)

b. Participant profile: Managers, Directors, Heads of Division, and professionals from regulatory agencies, operator companies and equipment provider companies with proven experience in strategic planning, network planning or regulatory issues.  In addition, the participant must have basic knowledge of network interconnection, given that we will delve into subjects for which such knowledge will be needed.

c. Candidates must have at least three years’ experience in the sector.

d. Participants must have access to computers and an Internet connection, subject to the following technical specifications: 

• Computer: Must be able to use the latest browsers.  A 486 (or its equivalent on Apple or Unix) with at least 32 Mbytes of RAM is recommended.

• Internet Access: Candidates must have access to the Internet from their home or workplace.  The minimum acceptable modem speed is 28.8 kbps.

• Browser:  The choice of browser is very important.  The e-learning platform requires a browser that can run Java and JavaScript. That option must be enabled in your browser.  For best results use either Netscape 3.0, 4.0 or Internet Explorer 4.0. You can download the latest versions of these browsers from: http://home.netscape.com/computing/dpwnload/index.html http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.asp

• Office Software: In order to access and view course contents you must have installed in the computer the following applications: WinWord viewer http://support.microsoft.com/default.asp and Adobe Reader http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads

e. Good command of either English or Spanish, with proficiency certificate in the case of non-native speakers.

f. Since this is a distance-education course, no medical certificate is required.

g. Present complete application by deadline.

NOTE: The student will be required to cover all costs incurred in securing access to this equipment and all communications fees (Internet access and electronic mail).

10) Benefits: CITEL/OEA will provide full tuition costs, US$ 200.00 (two hundred dollars) for enrollment in the course for selected fellows. Once the candidates are selected, they should accept the scholarship and confirm with CITEL that he/she will be available to take the course in the period indicated and under study conditions to be determined in due course.

In the event that a candidate accepts the scholarship but cannot take the course, for whatever reason, he/she must immediately advise the tutor and CITEL so that they can take further action.

11) Certification: CITEL/OEA and the ITU Center of Excellence for the Americas Region will present the participants with a certificate on their successful completion of the course.

In the event that a candidate accepts the scholarship but cannot take the course, for whatever reason, he/she must immediately advise the tutor and CITEL so that they can take further action.

12) Presentation of Candidates: First, applicants should fill in and send via Internet the Preliminary On-line Application for Professional Development Courses also available at the Educational Portal of the Americas www.educoas.org Then they should attach the confirmation e-mail they will receive upon submitting the online application to the official forms Fellowship Application Form
and Recommendation of Employer / Supporting Institution and present them to the National Liaison Offices (ONEs) established by the government of each country. This requirement is mandatory.

The ONEs will then forward the complete applications to the Department of Scholarships and Training, 1889 F Street, N. W., Washington, D. C. 20006, USA, before the deadline for presentation of applications indicated in this notification.  The official forms are available in the “Application Forms” item of the Educational Portal or through the OAS Offices in Member States. Inquiries regarding the presentation of applications may be sent to portal@iacd.oas.org.

2. Personal Registration

If you would like to register to this courses, please follow the instructions below:

Bank Transaction:

Requested service transfer via SWIFT type MT-103

• Name of the account holder (beneficiary): ACIEM
• Bank Account Number: No. 00000002-6
• Beneficiary Bank:  Banco de Bogotá, Bogotá, Colombia
• Swift address BBOGCOBB
• CHIPS 001959
• Address:  Calle 36 No. 7 - 47
• Telephone:  57-1 3320032

The intermediary bank is:  Citibank N.A., New York, N.Y., USA cta.021000089

• Address:   Wall Street, 212657-2351, New York 1305
• Telephone:  +518 21 26 657
• Town:  New York, NY
• Country:  United States of America

Required Information:

1.    Name of the enterprise or entity

2.    Your tax identity number

3.    Name of your legal representative

4.    Name and title of the contact person within the enterprise or entity

5.    Complete address of the enterprise or entity

6.    Town

7.    Country

8.    Phone number

9.    Fax number

10.  Name of the participant to whom the bill should be addressed

To request an invoice, the above-mentioned requirements detailed in the second table should be made available.   This information is necessary in order for the node to issue the invoice. 

Should more details be needed, please contact by e-mail: aciem@cable.net.co

[1]The deadline for presentation of applications to the National Liaison Office (ONE) differs from country to country and should therefore be confirmed with the relevant ONE in the applicant's country of origin. ONEs are requested to submit application forms to the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development in Washington, DC., by the deadline specified in the course announcement or in the revised communication.

Home | About CITEL | Committees | Web Resources | Forum Español | Contact | Site Map | Search