Foundations of telecommunications regulation

GENERAL OBJECTIVES - To acquire the ability to identify, understand, and apply in practice the essential principles governing the field of telecommunications. - To develop the capacity to interpret the legal and organizational framework of the telecommunications sector. - To analyse, plan, assess, and manage the risks arising from non-compliance with telecommunications regulations. - To interpret, analyse, and assess the legal framework regulating the telecommunications sector, with the ability to provide general legal advice. - To demonstrate critical analysis skills when engaging with legal texts, enabling their proper interpretation and, where appropriate, application to subject areas relevant to the Master¿s programme. - To identify the public authorities involved in this sector, along with their competences, actions, decisions, and other relevant activities. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES - To identify and understand the specific regulatory mechanisms that ensure the functioning of telecommunications markets under conditions of free competition. - To monitor and manage obligations arising from ex ante regulatory mechanisms in the telecommunications sector, including the identification of relevant markets, significant market power, and the imposition of obligations. - To provide legal advice on the fundamental aspects of telecommunications regulatory mechanisms, including interconnection agreements and dispute resolution. - To advise on legal issues related to net neutrality and its implications for the competitive functioning of the telecommunications market. - To understand the exceptional regulatory interventions in the telecommunications market, including functional separation mechanisms.

1. Measures to Ensure Free Competition in the Electronic Communications Market 1.1. Market structuring: the system for defining relevant markets and identifying operators with significant market power. 1.2. Evolution and current state of electronic communications markets. 1.3. Network interconnection and access (I): definition and regulation. 1.4. Network interconnection and access (II): agreements and dispute resolution. 1.5. Mechanisms for safeguarding competition (I): ensuring network neutrality. 1.6. Mechanisms for safeguarding competition (II): functional separation. 2. Measures for the Management of Scarce Resources in Electronic Communications Markets 2.1. Network deployment (I): general framework. 2.2. Network deployment (II): public and private domain. 2.3. Network deployment (III): antenna installation. 2.4. Network deployment (IV): ICT infrastructure (Infraestructuras Comunes de Telecomunicaciones). 2.5. Radio spectrum (I): planning, allocation, and inspection. 2.6. Radio spectrum (II): case study. 2.7. Radio spectrum (III): current and future issues, particularly the rollout of 5G. 2.8. Numbering: legal regime, planning, and allocation. 2.9. Conformity assessment of telecommunications equipment and devices. 3. Guarantees Relating to the Provision of Electronic Communications Services 3.1. Public service obligations (I): concept and regulation. 3.2. Public service obligations (II): universal service. 3.3. Investment in broadband network deployment: geographic mapping, public subsidies, and commitments. 3.4. Legal status of end users: rights of end users. 3.5. User protection: practical cases. 4. Complementary Aspects of the Electronic Communications Regulatory Framework 4.1. Inspection and sanctioning regime in the telecommunications sector. 4.2. Tax regime applicable to telecommunications. 4.3. Status of telecommunications regulation from an independent regulatory perspective. 4.4. Status of telecommunications regulation from the operators¿ perspective (I). 4.5. Status of telecommunications regulation from the operators¿ perspective (II).

TRAINING ACTIVITIES - Theoretical-practical lectures. - Research of academic materials such as case law, administrative decisions, etc., and assignments involving their understanding and presentation. - Individual work by students, including oral presentations and defenses. - Resolution of practical cases. Active student participation in sessions is essential. As this is an in-person master¿s programme, attendance at classes is a key requirement for assessment. Students must comply with the attendance policy established in the Academic Regulations of the Master¿s Programme and on AULA GLOBAL in order to be eligible for evaluation. TEACHING METHODOLOGIES The teaching methodology to be applied in this course is as follows: - In-class lectures by various professors using digital and audiovisual tools to explain key concepts and provide students with recommended bibliography to support their learning. - Critical reading of texts recommended by the course professor¿such as press articles, reports, administrative decisions, textbooks, and/or academic articles¿either for class discussion or to deepen and consolidate the course knowledge. - Solving practical cases and problems proposed by the professor, individually or in groups. - In-class presentations and debates, moderated by the professor, on topics related to the subject matter, such as case law, legislation, regulatory decisions, etc. - Preparation of assignments and reports, individually or in groups, including independent research by students. TUTORIALS Students will have access to tutorials with the faculty member coordinating the course. Tutorials aim to structure the teaching and learning process through direct interaction between the student and the professor, with the following objectives: (i) To guide students in their individual and group work. (ii) To deepen understanding of specific aspects of the subject matter. (iii) To provide academic and holistic guidance for student development. Tutorials will be held at the times and under the conditions established by the professor on Aula Global.