FINAL REPORT: DEFINITIONAL MISSION TO AZERBAIJAN:
AZERCOSMOS – AZERSPACE-2 FEASIBILITY STUDY
August 07, 2013
Space Partnership International
45
telecommunications to help in relief operations during natural disaster or emergency situations.
Azercosmos is currently planning to provide Ka-band services on the next Azerspace-2 satellite,
making it an ideal potential platform to deliver these services.
If Azerspace-2 is needed for provision of prompt telecommunications assistance to mitigate the
impact of a disaster, then regulatory barriers that impede the use of telecommunication resources
for disasters are waived. This is defined in the Tampere Convention, which came into force on
January 8, 2005 and has so far been ratified by 43 governments. Such barriers could include
licensing restrictions for frequency allocations, equipment import restrictions, or limitations on the
movement of humanitarian teams.
The ITU
26
currently endorses the use of GEO universal satellite systems with high-gain multiple
spot beams for relief operations. If configured for this application, Azerspace would offer the
capability of digital beam forming, allowing for re-configuration of the
coverage and distribution of
the Ka-band spectrum and power if and when needed to reach areas of conflict.
Infrastructure Security and Monitoring
The more flexible Azerspace-2 design should also provide wide-area coverage without the use of
inter-satellite links or slow-performing and high-cost multiple gateways. This would allow the
satellite to support real-time, high bandwidth configurations for real-time image transmission of
static or moving pictures.
Regional Applications
Trans-border use of telecommunications equipment by humanitarian organizations is often impeded
by regulatory barriers. This can make it extremely difficult to import and deploy
telecommunications equipment for emergencies without the prior consent of the local authorities.
This could be avoided through the use of Ka-band with high-gain multiple spot beams, and would
additionally enable Azercosmos to provide regional customers with focused and dedicated links to
address any security concerns.
National ICT Projects Supported by Azerspace
Contractor researched 52 of Azerbaijan’s top ICT programs identified in the President’s 2013
Action Plan to identify which could directly benefit from the additional capabilities provided by a
GEO telecommunications satellite and specifically, Azerspace-2. Our findings (shown in the chart
below) determined that 17, or 33%, of these national ICT projects are poised to directly benefit
from the Azerspace-2 satellite.
Such synergies should encourage the Azerbaijan government’s ongoing activities to attract both
domestic funding and foreign investments to help boost the telecommunications and ICT sectors.
27
From our in-country interviews, it became apparent that investment in the ICT sector has been
26
Source: ITU-R Report M.2149 http://www.itu.int/pub/R-REP-M.2149 `Use and examples of
mobile-satellite service systems for relief operation in the event of natural disasters and similar
emergencies.’
27
Azerbaijan has signed grant agreements with the UNDP (National Information Communication
Technologies Strategy for 2003–2012), the World Bank (for expanding telecommunications in the
rural areas of the Southern Caucasian countries), and other international organizations.
FINAL REPORT: DEFINITIONAL MISSION TO AZERBAIJAN:
AZERCOSMOS – AZERSPACE-2 FEASIBILITY STUDY
August 07, 2013
Space Partnership International
48
Market Oriented Reform to Support Market Access
To address changes in Azerbaijan’s telecommunications environment facilitated by the emergence
of the country’s satellite services industry and the new converged network services that result,
Azercosmos together with MCIT will be required to establish and/or revise the laws
and regulations
governing these markets.
To guarantee an open satellite industry, one that supports both incumbents as well as new entrants,
it is recommended that Azercosmos address these issues to foster the emergence of competition in
what was previously a controlled or monopolistic market. Most countries with emerging satellite
industries have understood that existing regulatory frameworks need not be imposed on new and/or
converging technologies that are not easily classified under their existing framework. The planned
Azercosmos deployment of lower-cost, higher-power Ka-band broadband satellite services into
national, regional markets brings with it new regulatory challenges. Although these issues may
surface mostly at the
national level, they can have far reaching consequences.
Restrictive regulatory practices deny the benefits of technological advancements, and can manifest
in the form of material losses and socio-economic gains denied. At the international level,
governments and the satellite industry alike must strive towards adherence to international orbit-
frequency coordination procedures and avoid potential monopolistic practices that are not
conducive to the growth of satellite broadband delivery.
Licensing and Access Practices for Azerspace-2
During our recent interviews, Azercosmos communicated that it understands the need to support
Azerbaijan’s emerging space program through the modernization of its regulatory and policy
frameworks on the path towards privatization. If the introduction of new Ka-band satellite-enabled
solutions via Azerspace-2 is coupled with liberalization, competition, and harmonized licensing
processes, it will promote increased access and facilitate innovation for the country.
As part of the proposed feasibility study, Contractor recommends that the specific objectives of
licensing be investigated in the context of the second satellite. Areas to be examined during the
feasibility study include the establishment of new policies, processes, and infrastructure to simplify
access to satellite markets for new entrants, the definitions of conditions of operation, and rights
and obligations of licensees in order to stimulate investment in the satellite market. Certainty is a
key factor for ensuring the successful development of investment initiatives.
It is recommended that Azercosmos, together with MCIT, strive to build and maintain a level
playing field and promote competition by creating mechanisms for managing the co-existence of
Azerbaijan’s future operators, both incumbents and new entrants, in complementary,
supplementary, or competing segments. Since 2008, limited steps in this area have been taken. For
example, before 2008, MCIT acted as both regulator and operator. In 2008, the MCIT moved to
separate the two functions—although it has not yet completed this process. The MCIT has adopted
a program for development of telecommunications, including the creation of new licensing policy
aimed
at
modernizing
the
telecommunications
infrastructure.
For
example,
some
telecommunications
services,
such as VoIP, must be licensed.
Regulation of the Internet
In response to foreign pressure, the Azerbaijan government has taken steps to liberalize the ISP
market. Mandatory licensing for ISPs was eliminated in 2002, although the MCIT has ignored this