Organisation and core functions
The Telecommunications Commission Solomon Islands is an independent expert statutory authority, charged with the economic and technical management of the telecommunications sector in Solomon Islands.
Core functions
The Commission’s core functions are:
- To regulate and facilitate the development of the telecommunications sector;
- To manage Solomon Islands’ radio-frequency spectrum resource;
- To safeguard competition and the interests of consumers.
Roles and responsibilities
The Commission is responsible for ensuring the effectiveness of the statutory market driven approach, while also protecting the interests of consumers and encouraging sustainable investment in the telecommunications sector.
The Commission enables competition by facilitating market entry through its general authorisation (Class Licence) for network and service provision. Its particular activities include:
- Ensuring operator compliance with particular licensing and statutory obligations;
- Monitoring competitive conduct in urban and provincial centres;
- Facilitating the development of telecommunications, especially in rural areas;
- Supporting the interests of telecommunications users within the Solomon Islands;
- Ensuring the efficient management and use of radio spectrum and telephony numbers;
- Operator and consumer dispute resolution;
- Surveillance of the established telecommunications operators, focusing on pricing and quality of service, and competition, as well as consumer considerations such as billing practices, false and misleading advertising claims, protection of customer personal information and customer complaints.
Structure
The Commissioner, in consultation with the statutory Evaluation Committee, is responsible for the strategic and operational management of the organisation. The Commission office is made up of the Commissioner, professional staff, and support staff.
Funding and independence
The Commission is not funded by parliamentary budget appropriations but through service licence fees paid to the Commission by the operators. In the exercise of its statutory powers and functions the Commission is not subject to the direction and control of government ministers.
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