Telecommunications Law

Systems of electronic communications date back some 18 years to the invention of the electric telegraph. For most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries services were generally provided by monopolistic state agencies and there was very little role for the law. Over the past 3 years, the sector has undergone massive technical and structural changes and today the law has moved to centre stage.Telecommunications Law gives an introduction to the basic technologies which are changing all our lives before describing the status, role and powers of the Office of Communications and also of the newly established Body of European Electronic Communications Regulators. It considers the various legal relationships which may exist between network and service providers and also the emerging over the top services such as voice over the Internet (VOIP) telephony. Key areas include the negotiation of access and interconnection agreements at both national and international level. The contractual relationships between providers and consumers are analysed and extensive consideration is given to consumer protection issues in the contexts of universal service and privacy protection.Telecommunications Lawfeatures the following key content:•The development of electronic communication law – gives an introduction to the development of the sector while providing a context for a present situation•Basics of communication technologies – gives a contextual setting and detailed consideration, of how communications technologies function and their legal significance•Major players and definitions – sets out key definitions applicable to identifying who will be subject to various aspects of telecommunications legislation•The nature and role of regulatory authorities – explains the structure and role of OFCOM while examining its relationship with other regulatory authorities in the UK and increasingly within the EU•Key regulatory powers and duties – Describes the duties imposed on OFCOM under the Communications Act. Considers the extent to which decisions of the regulator may be challenged in the courts •Access and interconnection agreements – considers the need for networks interconnection, access agreements, allowing voice and data traffic using the network facilities of BT, roaming agreements•Competition Law Aspects – identifies a tendency for sector specific ex ante regulation to be replaced by the application of general principles of competition law•Universal Service – Considers the scope of the universal service obligation imposed under the universal Service Directive. Looks at the legal relation to a universal right of landline connection and the concept of broadband connectivity as an extension of the universal right. Increasingly enshrined in national legislative programmes•Data Privacy issues – Examines the proliferation of mobile phones and the expansion of internet usage leading items of data are being recorded. Looks at the legal ramifications of Location Data, discusses in detail The Communications Privacy DirectiveWhats New? A new section two on regulation and regulators, includes:•Fromstatus to contract the liberalisation process in the UK & EU•The role of Regulatory to authorisation•Spectrum AuctionsA new section tree onlegal regulation between operators which will discuss hot topics such as:•Interconnection•Access Agreements•International RoamingA new section six covering Privacy Issues in Electronic Communications:•Data Protection•Interception of Communications•Retention of DataA new section seven covering International issues:•The ITU and the WTO•Internet Governance and RegulationCONTENTSCONTENTS Section One – Introduction Chapter 1 – The Development of Electronic Communications LawChapter 2 – Basics of Communication TechnologyChapter 3 – Major Players and Definitions Section Two – Regulation and Regulators Chapter 4 – The Nature and Role of Regulatory AuthoritiesChapter 5 – Key Regulatory Powers and DutiesSection Three – Legal Relations between Operators Chapter 6 – Access and Interconnection AgreementsChapter 7 – Competition Law AspectsSection Four – Towards Competition LawChapter 8 – Universal ServiceSection Five– Consumer Protection IssuesChapter 9 – Data Privacy Issues Section Six– Privacy Issues in Electronic CommunicationChapter 1 – The ITU and WTOSection Seven– International Issues Chapter 11 – Internet Governance CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATIONProfessor Ian LloydIan Lloyd was appointed in 21 as Research Fellow to ILAWS – The institute of Law and the Web hosted by the School of Law.In a previous life at the University of Strathclyde, Ian launched the world’s first LLM course in IT law in 1987 and together with Professor Steve Saxby introduced Southampton University’s distance learning LLM in IT and Telecommunications Law in October 21.Ian is a member of a number of national and European committees in the field, including the European Commission’s Legal Advisory Board on the Information market. He has acted as expert witness in a number of IT law related court cases.Professor David Paul Mellor OBEDavid Mellor was appointed in 211 as Research Fellow to ILAWS – The institute of Law and the Web hosted by the School of Law.Prior to taking early retirement in 25 David worked in the Telecommunications Sector for over forty years.David is Chairman of the United Kingdom Telecommunications Academy and Special Envoy for Academia to the Secretary General of The International Telecommunications Union.