If this year's FT World Telecoms Conference, organised by the Financial Times, is anything to go by it may just be that the investment community as well as some of the industry's biggest players are at last waking up to what Developing Telecoms has known for years - that the future of telecoms is in emerging markets...

The fight is on to avert what is being billed by the satellite industry as a "global spectrum crisis". According to the GVF (Global VSAT Forum) this will happen if reallocation of C-band spectrum goes ahead. Opposing this are mobile network operators, who want the spectrum used for next generation broadband wireless and IMT 2000 services.

What is the significance of this for developing and emerging markets? According to the GSMA, increasing bandwidth is essential to extending mobile services in developing markets. The GVF meanwhile claim fixed mobile satellite services, much used in developing markets, will suffer increasing rates of interference.

The decision will be taken at the WRC (World Radio Communications conference) in November. Meanwhile Developing Telecoms includes a copy of the GSMA's briefing document, distributed to over 200 regulators last month, to help you make up your mind. MS

Regulation, Global: World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs) are held every two to three years, and are the process where the international rules that govern the use of radio spectrum are agreed. These conferences are part of a process run by the International Telecommunication Union. WRCs exist to ensure that radio spectrum can be used for the benefit of all nations, without causing harmful interference.

Viewpoint, Regulation, Satellite, Global: Developing Telecoms has received a letter from the Global VSAT Forum (GVF) asking for help to stop C-Band spectrum being re-allocated to the terrestrial wireless sector. Michael Schwartz reports...

Viewpoint, Financing, ICT, ITU, Africa: "We need a Marshall Plan for ICT infrastructure development in Africa…We have to mobilise the world’s human, financial and technical resources to support economic growth, employment and development across Africa."...

The first half of 2007 saw the launch of Nokia-Siemens Networks. Industry mergers such as this have become a feature of the telecoms scene in recent years. But although the merging companies are based in developed markets, the mergers are being driven by the need to drive down costs in order to compete in emerging markets...