The UMTS Forum warns against stringent regulation for global circulation of 3G terminals

date: February 27, 2002

Inappropriate regulation surrounding the global circulation of 3G terminals could stifle innovation and natural market growth rather than protect 3G network performance warns The UMTS Forum.

Despite being less glamorous than services and handsets, the global circulation of mobile terminals remains essential to 3G, with consumers expecting ubiquitous services that can be accessed anywhere and anytime from their 3G (IMT-2000) terminals. IMT-2000 is in its very essence a global project and gives operators several technological options which are far more complex than the current GSM offerings.

However, it is important that the complexity of IMT-2000's global deployment does not trigger unwarranted regulation, arising from fears that network performance may be downgraded with a flood of different terminals from many manufacturers.

Dr. Bernd Eylert comments, "We have already learned from GSM that new regulation is not required to 'guarantee' performance as any regulation is driven by the commercial interests of all industry players. It is The Forum's view that avoidance of unnecessary regulations in areas where commercial players can handle issues themselves is paramount. We believe that operators will be able to handle all problems relating to their own terminals as well as 'visiting' terminals."

Global circulation is set to alter the existing boundaries of 'traditional' telephony and Internet access, generating additional revenue for operators and helping governments to let their countries participate in the expanding market for mobile multimedia.

The UMTS Forum has developed five fundamental principles for global circulation:

- The circulation of UMTS/IMT-2000 terminals intended for personal use should be exempt from all customs duties or other official charges.
- The personal use of UMTS/IMT-2000 terminals should require no individual licence or any other form of individual formal regulatory procedure.
- Terminals shall not cause unacceptable interference in any country where they circulate. One way of achieving this is the application of the receive-before-transmit principle.
- Terminals shall comply with unwanted emission limits.
- Authorities should co-operate in order to enable global circulation of such terminals in all parts of the world.

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