| Unit name | Telecommunications Law |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LAWDM0091 |
| Credit points | 30 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Charlesworth |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | University of Bristol Law School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit assesses developments in telecommunications law and regulation since the move from national monopolies to competition in a regulated and international market. It examines the convergence between telecommunication services and content/media services and considers the implications this holds for future regulatory strategies. The unit outlines existing (and potential) telecommunications technologies and services. This prefaces an overview of contemporary telecommunications regulatory themes and influences. The unit then examines EU telecommunications law as the primary basis for current UK regulation. Consideration of the UK regulatory system itself will comprise of 6 elements: General conditions of entitlement; Regulation of significant market power operators; Infrastructure provision (network access, rights of way, sharing); Spectrum assignment (liberalisation and trading); Pricing Regulation (interconnect & local loop unbundling pricing, mobile termination charges); Regulation of specific services (3G, VoIP, IPTV, premium rate); Convergence issues are also addressed via an overview of relevant issues in internet regulation and regulation of content.
