The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) is set to host the International Telecommunication Union’s Study Group 12 Regional Group for the Africa Region (SG12RG-AFR) at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Center from 13th – 16th March 2023.

The International Telecommunication Union’s Study Group 12 focuses on Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) service delivery, and this regional workshop is being jointly organised with PURA on the theme: “Sharing Experience to Enhance Telecoms Network Quality for Consumers”.

The regional meeting to be convened in Banjul intends to bring together regulators, operators, consumer advocates, and policymakers in Africa to discuss critical issues affecting QoS, & QoE, share valuable country-specific case studies and offer practical models geared toward the enhancement of quality service delivery.

The Director-General of PURA, Mr. Yusupha M. Jobe, said hosting the Regional Meeting demonstrates the degree of trust and confidence bestowed on PURA as a regulatory player in the realm of telecommunication in Africa. He stated that this will be the first time that PURA is hosting the ITU-T Group 12 Regional Meeting, noting that they are hopeful that the regional convergence will have a positive impact on the telecommunications industry not only in The Gambia but Africa as a whole.

DG Jobe continued: “We greatly appreciate the accorded hosting privilege, and it reasserts our shared collective values, priorities, and purpose of reaping the very essence of being part of international bodies like the ITU. On behalf of the Gambian populace and the Government of the Gambia, the Banjul Meeting will set the pace in fostering unified standards that would address QoS and QoE matters.”

The convergence is also aimed at encouraging African countries to proactively promote the development of ITU-T recommendations and increase their participation in the quality-of-service development group. Equally important, it would dissect the eminent QoS challenges faced by operators, regulators, and other players, particularly in the African continent and propose smart means of tackling the identified challenges.

The Meeting will also feature a roundtable discussion on the status of Quality-of-Service, Quality of Experience challenges and future opportunities in the industry.