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The Secretariat of the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) of the Organization of American States wishes to inform the list with the 80 selected candidates that they fulfill all the requirements to receive this fellowship to study the course of  "Network Interconnection". This course is offered  by the International Telecommunication Union, ITU Centre of Excellence for the Region of the Americas over the Excellence Network Node: Colombian Association of Engineers (ACIEM). 

Selected Candidates:

Three (3) parallel courses will be held from October 7, 2002 to November 29, 2002

General Information:

1) Place of Study: Distance Education Course through 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: Colombian Association of Engineers (ACIEM) (TE: (571) 3690424, Bogota D.C., Colombia, e-mail: aciem@cable.net.co).

2) Starting and ending date: Three (3) parallel courses will be held from October 7, 2002 to November 29, 2002.

3) Deadline of Reception of Applications: September 9, 2002 in Washington, D.C [1].

4) Duration: Eight (8) weeks per session.

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

6) General Objectives: In-depth study of the regulatory, managerial and technical issues having the greatest impact in the field of interconnection, to provide new decision-making tools.

Specific Objectives:

• Evaluate the main technical, financial and legal issues governing Telecommunication network interconnection.
• Analyze the principal worldwide experiences in interconnection.
• Determine the key factors to consider in the interconnection process.
•  Identify the main issues influencing an interconnection negotiation.
• Analyze the principal regulations in the region on interconnection.

Upon completing the course the participant will be qualified to identify the main issues to be considered when initiating a Telecommunication network interconnection process between fixed and mobile operators, as well as the type of standards currently in force on the subject.  Furthermore, the participant will be able to identify the essential issues to consider when issuing pertinent regulations

7) Program: Participants will experiment with a variety of innovative classroom assessment practices, including instructional rubrics, student self-assessment, and ongoing assessment. The final project for the course will involve creating, testing and revising assessment tools for use in participants' own classrooms. The following outline provides the session topic and goals for each session in the course.

First Week: Introduction to the concept of  Telecommunication Network Interconnection

• Basic technical and legal definitions
• Interconnection, network, and Telecommunication concepts
• From monopoly to competition: Interconnection, key factor for competition
• Basic Issues to consider regarding interconnection

Second Week: International Experiences and commitments on interconnection

• International Telecommunication Union
• WCO Regulations
• CITEL
• European Union
• Specific cases: United States, United Kingdom, CAATEL

Third Week: Important aspects of interconnection

• Operators with significant power in the marketplace
• Interconnection Points
• Interconnection Services and Facilities
• Essential installations and Facilities

Fourth Week: Procedure for interconnection negotiations

• Negotiating Techniques
• Interconnection request, direct negotiation and servitude imposition
• Request for temporary interconnection
• Interconnection Disputes

Fifth Week: Network and essential facilities unbundling

• Principles of network unbundling
• Essential facilities
• International Experiences: United States, European Union
• A practical case of unbundling: subscriber's loop

Sixth and Seventh Week: Interconnection Prices

• Objectives for a price schedule
• Competition and Regulation: Regulatory objectives and principles
• Financial theory and practice in Telecommunication pricing
• Objectives of regulated prices
• Importance and features of originating and terminating prices
• Price Setting Methodology
• Interconnection and access price structure

Eighth Week: Interconnection Regulation

• Policies of interested countries
• Local interconnection regimes
• Core Standards for interconnection in the region

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.

10) Benefits: CITEL/OEA will provide enrolment in the course for up to 80 successful candidates (full fellowship US$ 200) selected and divided among the three sessions in which the course will be imparted.

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.

12) Presentation of Candidates: Applications shall be made using OAS Form 98 (Fellowship Application Form), including all necessary documentation, and shall be sent to the Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development, 1889 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006, USA, through the official channels set up by each country’s government (National Liaison Agencies). OAS Form 98, as well as the list of National Liaison Agencies, can be obtained at OAS Offices in the Member States, or over the internet at The Educational Portal of the Americas at http://www.educoas.org 

[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.

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