The GSR is an annual event bringing together heads of national regulatory authorities from both developed and developing countries and has earned a reputation as the global venue for regulators to share their views and experiences as part of the worldwide community of regulators.  The meeting fosters an open dialogue between regulators and key ICT stakeholders: the private sector, investors and consumers.

The fifth annual Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) was held from 8 to 10 December 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting focused on ways to adapt and evolve licensing and regulatory structures to cope with convergence of information and communications technology sectors. GSR 2004 was held in conjunction with the Second Annual Meeting of Regional Regulatory Associations, held 7 December 2004 at the same location in Geneva.

Since its creation in 2000, by the Regulatory Reform Unit of the ITU’s Development Bureau (BDT), the GSR had grown in terms of the numbers of regulators attending, the number of countries represented, the number of sector members attending, and the array of issues that came out of the symposium for further work, by both the BDT and the participating nations. GSR 2004 was attended by 350 participants from 106 countries, including regulators representing 77 countries, as well as 34 sector members, and all existing regional regulators’ associations. In addition, this GSR was notable for an increase in the number of proposals by delegates for issues and projects to be carried out before and at the next GSR. This included a proposal, made possible by an invitation from the government of Tunisia, to hold the next GSR outside of Geneva. The invitation to hold the symposium in Tunis in 2005 was warmly received, supported and adopted by the GSR. 

This year’s symposium consisted of four plenary sessions, focusing on multiple aspects of licensing and spectrum management, along with two simultaneous break-out sessions – an innovation for the GSR format – focusing on “spam” and broadband infrastructure. GSR 2004 reached consensus on an output document, the Best Practice Guidelines for the Promotion of Low-Cost Broadband and Internet Connectivity. The document expresses the view of the national regulatory authorities participating in the GSR that regulatory and policy decisions can serve to encourage the growth of broadband networks and services that will improve lives around the world. The symposium agreed that the views of regulators on such an important set of enabling technologies should be expressed to those seeking ways to build the Information Society.