Telecom Authority of #Trinidad & #Tobago document “Towards the Treatment of Over-The-Top (OTT) Services” out for comment til July 20 2015

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(Update 6 July 2015 – TATT has extended the deadline to July 20 2015 ; fixed URL to joint statement on Digicel’s blocking VoIP services in 2014)

In addition to the ICT Forum on June 18 2015 on the topic of whether Over the Top (OTT) Services and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) messaging services such as Skype, Whatsapp, Magic Jack, Viber and Tango , the Telecommunications Authority has posted a document “Towards the Treatment of Over-The-Top (OTT) Services” (PDF ; 2MB) for public comment until July 20 2015 June 30 2015

Note: ( TTCS mirror of document “Towards the Treatment of Over-The-Top (OTT) Services”)

From the document:

This document is based on information from research conducted by the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (the Authority) and discusses different aspects of Over-The-Top (OTT) services, focusing particularly on whether or not such services should be regulated and if so, determine what regulatory measures should be adopted to ensure that stakeholder interests can be best protected. It presents views on the possible impact of OTT services and how such services should be treated considering the recent developments taking place in the telecommunications space.
The document seeks comments on whether proposed regulation should be imposed on providers to protect stakeholder, including end-user, interests. It is therefore appropriate for consumers and operators to share their views on the document with the Authority, which would assist the Authority in the shaping of a final policy position.

The document references the joint statement from the Trinidad and Tobago Computer Society, the Internet Society Trinidad and Tobago Chapter and the IEEE Trinidad and Tobago Section on Digicel’s Trinidad and Tobago’s  ban on Voice over IP services in 2014.