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 sixth Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR), held in Yasmine Hammamet, Tunisia, took place from 14 to 15 November 2005. The symposium brought together regulators, policy makers, and service providers from 110 countries to develop a new regulatory framework to promote broadband deployment and access in developing countries. 

GSR 2005 agreed to a set of ‘best practice guidelines’ for spectrum management aimed at promoting broadband access. The four-page vision statement produced by GSR 2005 embraced the principles of "minimum necessary" regulation, minimizing barriers to entry, allowing broadband providers to begin operations on a small scale rather than requiring national rollouts, allocating spectrum for community or non-commercial use, adopting lighter regulatory approaches in rural and less congested areas, and recognizing the role that both licensed and unlicensed spectrum can play.