U.S./Canada: ITU Needs to Deal With Threshold Broadband Questions First

Says Dubai treaty conference must first come to terms with proposals on definitions of telecom and to whom treaties apply

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/28/2012 10:20:08 AM

The U.S. and Canada have proposed that the upcoming telecom treaty conference in Dubai deal first with proposals to change the definition of telecommunications or who the treaties apply to before getting down to the details of any revisions.

The World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) begins Dec. 3.

Dealing with those "threshold questions" about the scope of the treaties is a crucial first step, they told the International Telecommunications Union in a joint filing.

Both countries are concerned about proposals by countries including Russia, China and Syria, that would expand the treaties to include broadband, an effort they see as opening the door to more government control of content and new taxes on Internet traffic.

They propose that there be a plenary session to deal with any changes to the preamble or Article 1 of the International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs). "If we can resolve those threshold, definitional issues first, it will clarify the terms of the negotiations for the rest of the conference," said Ambassador Terry Kramer, head of the U.S. Delegation.

It could also determine whether the U.S. remains at the table. If the conference becomes an attempt to boost government control of the Internet -- ITU's head says it will not -- the U.S. could walk out of the conference. Kramer has said the conference needs to steer clear of the Internet and that the U.S. would not be a party to that expansion of the ITRs, though he conceded it was time to tee up questions about how broadband is dealt with going forward.