RATEL’s representatives took part in the Regional Regulatory Forum for Europe 2024, held in Budva, Montenegro, on September 23 and 24, 2024. The forum was organized in cooperation with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), offering a platform to discuss key challenges and opportunities within the telecommunications industry. Central theme of this year’s conference was titled „Vision for Connectivity: Innovating the Future of Telecom Regulation and Security“. At the forum’s opening ceremony, the participants were addressed by the representatives of the host, the ITU, and the NRAs from various countries.

Greeting the participants and organizers, Dragan Kovačević, Chair of RATEL’s Council, summarized major RATEL’s activities and thanked the hosts for the organization of the event as well as the unique opportunity to exchange experience and improve knowledge in this very important area.

The working part of the forum opened with the session "Modelling of the Future: Regulatory Strategies for Emerging Telecom Technologies", with key topics pertaining to regulation in the area of modern telecommunications technologies and European legislative initiatives. This session provided a comprehensive overview of the key regulatory issues shaping the future of telecommunications.

As part of the session "Expanding the Horizon: Trends and Developments in Digital Infrastructure", an overview was made of key initiatives and innovations shaping the future of digital infrastructure in Europe. A vast array of related topics concerned digital infrastructure development, focusing on innovations and new advancement paths in telecommunications. Aleksandar Borić, Chief Advisor for Fixed and Satellite Radio Communications at RATEL, presented a paper on the Collaboration of mobile and satellite operators and shared use of mobile frequency bands for the purpose of coverage zone expansion (Direct to Cell). The paper showcased satellite systems’ technical characteristics, current satellite market status, regulatory challenges stemming from the implementation of these networks, including an overview of the currently available and future Direct-to-Device (D2D) and Direct-to-Cell (D2C) services. A particular attention was paid to the fact that D2C services can be used with „ordinary“ mobile phones, i.e. with those not equipped with satellite chip-set.

During the session entitled „Enhancing Quality of Service and Consumer Rights Protection“ Ivana Đurić, Senior Consumer Protection Advisor at RATEL, presented legal aspects of the electronic communications consumer protection in the Republic of Serbia. This topic was also discussed at a roundtable dedicated to the end-users’ rights, mechanisms of their protection and real life examples, along with exchanging experience regarding numerous challenges and their resolution.

The ITU-EKIP Regional Regulatory Forum for Europe, renown for being one of the most significant events in the area of telecommunications in Southern Europe, this year gathered 140 participants, including senior representatives of regulators, operators, embassies, academic institutions and leading industry companies. Each year, this event attracts growing attention of key electronic communications sector officials who traditionally meet in order to exchange professional knowledge and experience.