The Treaty establishing Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority

Conventions and Treaties

The Treaty, which established the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) as the regulatory authority for the telecommunications sectors for five (5) Contracting States of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), was signed on 4 May 2000 in St George’s, Grenada. These States are the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. The implementing legislation for the ECTEL Treaty was enacted in each of the Contracting States as the legal framework for telecommunications, either by a standalone ECTEL Act or embedded in the Schedule of the Telecommunications Act.

The purpose of ECTEL is to create a competitive environment for telecommunications in the contracting states by ensuring that telecommunications services are modern, efficient, competitively priced, and universally available.

Key features and objectives of the treaty include:

  1. Liberalisation and competition: The treaty emphasises liberalising the telecommunications sector to foster competition, thereby enhancing service quality and reducing costs.
  2. Harmonisation and coordination: It aims to achieve a harmonised regulatory framework across member states to ensure consistent standards and practices in telecommunications.
  3. Universal access: ECTEL is committed to promoting universal access to telecommunications services, including internet access and telephony, particularly for schools, hospitals, and disadvantaged groups.
  4. Regulatory structure: The treaty establishes a structured regulatory environment with ECTEL at its helm, tasked with coordinating and advising on telecommunications policy and regulation among the member states.
  5. Licenses and authorisations: ECTEL oversees the issuance of individual and class licenses for telecommunications services, as well as frequency authorisations necessary for the operation of telecommunications networks.
  6. Universal service fund: This fund is established by each contracting state to support the provision of telecommunications services to underserved and economically unviable areas.
  7. Dispute resolution: ECTEL also plays a role in resolving disputes among licensees or between contracting states regarding the interpretation and application of the treaty.

The structure of ECTEL includes a Council of Ministers responsible for policy, a Board of Directors for operational oversight, and a Directorate for day-to-day management. The treaty outlines the functions, powers, and operational procedures of these bodies to ensure that telecommunications in the region are efficiently managed and developed in alignment with the treaty’s goals.