U.S./ITALY BILATERAL TALKS ON COMMUNICATIONS POLICY: FROM BROADBAND TO WI-FI TO CYBER SECURITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ROME 001084 SIPDIS SENSITIVE COMMERCE FOR NTIA/GALLAGHER/SPECK; USDOC FOR 4220/MAC/EUR/SED/DDEFALCO; FCC FOR AGOMEZ AND ATHOMAS; JUSTICE FOR CWILLNER UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 01084 01 OF 04 171344Z E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECPS ETRD ETRD ETRD ETRD IT ITECPS ITECPS ITECPS SUBJECT: U.S./ITALY BILATERAL TALKS ON COMMUNICATIONS POLICY: FROM BROADBAND TO WI-FI TO CYBER SECURITY REF: A. 03 ROME 250 ¶B. 03 ROME 392 ¶C. 02 ROME 3437 ¶D. 02 ROME 2533 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. DURING RECENT BILATERAL MEETINGS ON COMMUNICATIONS POLICY, THE GOI UNDERSCORED ITS EAGERNESS TO WORK WITH THE USG ON ISSUES LEADING UP TO THE WORLD RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONFERENCE IN JUNE AND THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY IN DECEMBER, WHEN ITALY, AS EU PRESIDENT, WILL SPEAK FOR THE EU. AT THE MARCH 6-7TH TALKS, U.S. AND ITALIAN OFFICIALS ALSO DISCUSSED TELECOM REGULATORY REFORMS, TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND INCENTIVES TO PROMOTE THEIR USE, MARKET COMPETITION, AND CYBERSECURITY. REGARDING THE LATTER, ITALIAN OFFICIALS INDICATED THEY INTEND TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN SHAPING THE JUST-ANNOUNCED EU CYBER SECURITY AGENCY. U.S. AND ITALIAN COMPANY EXECUTIVES SHARED WITH THE U.S. DELEGATION THEIR VIEWS ABOUT THE ITALIAN AND U.S. TELECOM MARKETS. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) AMBASSADOR DAVID A. GROSS, U.S. COORDINATOR FOR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS POLICY, STATE DEPARTMENT, LED AN INTER-AGENCY TEAM, WHICH INCLUDED DAS MICHAEL GALLAGHER OF THE NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 01084 01 OF 04 171344Z ADMINISTRATION (NTIA) OF THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT; FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION'S INTERNATIONAL BUREAU DEPUTY CHIEF ANNA GOMEZ; SENIOR ATTORNEY CARL WILLNER OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S ANTI-TRUST DIVISION, ALONG WITH STATE, COMMERCE, AND FCC STAFF FOR THE DAY AND ONE-HALF BILATERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT. MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS MAURIZIO GASPARRI AND U.S. AMBASSADOR MEL SEMBLER INAUGURATED THE DISCUSSIONS. SECRETARY GENERAL VITTORIO STELO OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS LED THE ITALIAN DELEGATION, WHICH INCLUDED THE FIVE DIRECTOR GENERALS OF THE MINISTRY AND OFFICIALS FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY (ITALY'S REGULATORY AGENCY). AGENDA TOPICS INCLUDED: REGULATORY REFORM; INTERNATIONAL ISSUES - POST-MARRAKECH AND THE WORLD RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONFERENCE; TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS, INCLUDING DIGITAL TV AND WI-FI; MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS, AND CYBERSECURITY. RATIONALE FOR DISCUSSIONS ¶3. (U) TIMING FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH ITALY ON COMMUNICATIONS POLICY WAS PROPITIOUS. ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY WILL OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME WHEN MEMBER STATES ARE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE 2002 EU COMMUNICATIONS LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE WILL OCCUR. AS EU PRESIDENT, ITALY SHOULD SET THE EXAMPLE FOR AND ALSO COULD INFLUENCE MEMBER STATE IMPLEMENTATION. ITALY WILL HOLD THE EU'S LEADERSHIP POSITION DURING THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY TAKING PLACE IN GENEVA IN DECEMBER 2003. REFORM/EU DIRECTIVES ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS ¶4. (U) MINISTRY AND AUTHORITY OFFICIALS GAVE AN OVERVIEW OF UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 01084 01 OF 04 171344Z REFORM IN THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS MARKET AND THE STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EU DIRECTIVE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS. WITHIN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, THEY NOTED, THE INCUMBENT CARRIER, TELECOM ITALIA, HAS BEEN FULLY PRIVATIZED; ALL EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED. AS OF JANUARY 2003, THERE WERE 225 LICENSED OPERATORS IN FIXED VOCAL TELEPHONY AND NETWORKS, OF WHICH NINE ARE LICENSED MOBILE OPERATORS. ¶5. (U) THE LOCAL LOOP HAS BEEN UNBUNDLED. PROGRESS, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN SLOW, ACKNOWLEDGED MINISTRY OFFICIALS. SINCE UNBUNDLING WAS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED IN SPRING 2002, HOWEVER, MORE THAN 150,000 SUBSCRIBERS HAVE SWITCHED CARRIERS. NUMBER PORTABILITY IS UNDERWAY. USERS WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE SAME PHONE NUMBER EVEN WHEN THEY SWITCH FROM GSM TO THIRD GENERATION WIRELESS (3G) SERVICES. ¶6. (U) THE GOI INTENDS TO INTRODUCE IN PARLIAMENT BY JULY 7, 2003, THE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FIVE EU DIRECTIVES RELATED TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS - FRAMEWORK, INTERCONNECTION, AUTHORIZATION, UNIVERSAL SERVICE, AND RADIO SPECTRUM DIRECTIVES. BY OCTOBER 31ST, THE GOI INTENDS TO SUBMIT TO PARLIAMENT LEGISLATION RELATED TO EU DIRECTIVE 2002/58 ON PRIVACY AND DATA RETENTION. GOI OFFICIALS DO NOT EXPECT UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ2198 PAGE 01 ROME 01084 02 OF 04 171344Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 CIP-00 CTME-00 INL-00 DODE-00 ITCE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EXME-00 E-00 UTED-00 VC-00 FRB-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 ITC-01 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 CAEX-01 PER-00 ACE-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00 DRL-01 G-00 SAS-00 /009W -------------- 458FC7 171344Z /38 R 171239Z MAR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8753 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE AMCONSUL FLORENCE AMCONSUL MILAN AMCONSUL NAPLES DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC FCC WASHDC UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 04 ROME 001084 SIPDIS SENSITIVE COMMERCE FOR NTIA/GALLAGHER/SPECK; USDOC FOR 4220/MAC/EUR/SED/DDEFALCO; FCC FOR AGOMEZ AND ATHOMAS; JUSTICE FOR CWILLNER UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 01084 02 OF 04 171344Z E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECPS ETRD ETRD ETRD ETRD IT ITECPS ITECPS ITECPS SUBJECT: U.S./ITALY BILATERAL TALKS ON COMMUNICATIONS POLICY: FROM BROADBAND TO WI-FI TO CYBER SECURITY PARLIAMENT TO DELAY IN ACTING ON AND APPROVING LEGISLATION THAT IMPLEMENTS THESE DIRECTIVES. THE DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR TO MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, GIANFRANCO GIORGOLO, UNDERSCORED THAT THE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE WILL ESTABLISH A CLEAR REGULATORY FRAMEWORK IN ITALY FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS. ¶7. (SBU) MINISTRY OFFICIALS HIGHLIGHTED AREAS IN WHICH EX ANTE REGULATION MAY BE WARRANTED. THEY INCLUDE CALL ORIGINATION AND CALL TERMINATION; TRANSIT SERVICE; WHOLESALE TRUNK LEASED LINES AND UNBUNDLED ACCESS; BROADCASTING SERVICES AND WHOLESALE BROADBAND SERVICES. THE MARKET - EUROPE AND ITALY ¶8. (SBU) COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY OFFICIALS SHARED WITH THE U.S. DELEGATION INFORMATION FROM A SOON-TO-BE RELEASED COMMISSION REPORT ON THE COMMUNICATIONS MARKET. ACCORDING TO THIS REPORT, EU COUNTRIES ACCOUNT FOR 25 PERCENT OF THE WORLD MARKET FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS. IN 2003, GIVEN THE RECESSION IN THE EURO-ZONE, THE SHARE IS EXPECTED TO CONTRACT BY ONE PERCENT, WITH ASIA'S SHARE INCREASING PROPORTIONALLY. MOBILE SERVICES, NOT INCLUDING HARDWARE, ACCOUNT FOR 37 PERCENT OF ALL TELECOM SERVICES IN EUROPE. SUBSCRIBERS FOR MOBILE SERVICES IN THE EU REACHED 213 MILLION IN 2002. PRE-PAID CARDS ACCOUNT FOR A SIZABLE MARKET SHARE. IN ITALY, 78 PERCENT OF USERS OF MOBILE SERVICES USE PRE-PAID CARDS. TEXT UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 01084 02 OF 04 171344Z MESSAGING AND INTERNET ON CELL PHONES ACCOUNT FOR AN ESTIMATED 10 PERCENT OF REVENUES FOR MOBILE OPERATORS IN EUROPE. THE INTERNET HAS SPURRED GROWTH IN THE FIXED LINE MARKET AS WELL. FIXED LINE TELEPHONY GREW 10 PERCENT FROM 2001 TO 2002 IN EUROPE; EUROPE NOW HAS MORE THAN 329 MILLION FIXED LINES. ¶9. (U) IN EUROPE, AND PARTICULARLY IN ITALY, THE MARKET FOR MOBILE IS NEARLY SATURATED. COMPETITION WILL BE FOCUSED ON PRICE, COMMENTED AUTHORITY OFFICIALS. 3G/BROADBAND/WI-FI ¶10. (U) FIVE 3G LICENSES HAVE BEEN ISSUED, ONE EACH TO H3G ITALIA, IPSE 2000, TELECOM ITALIA MOBILE (TIM), OMNITEL-VODAFONE, WIND. THE LICENSES ARE FOR 20 YEARS, WITH COVERAGE OBLIGATIONS OF PROVISIONS TO REGIONS BY 2004 AND TO PROVINCIAL CAPITALS BY 2006. ACCORDING TO THE MINISTRY, TWO OPERATORS, TIM AND H3G, ARE NEARLY READY TO BEGIN OPERATIONS. H3G IS EXPECTED TO START LIMITED SERVICE IN THE SUMMER. THE GOI IS EXPLORING DIFFERENT INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE 3G DEVELOPMENT. ONE BARRIER TO START UP IS THE DIFFERENT REGIONAL STANDARDS FOR ELECTRONIC MAGNETIC TRANSMISSION EMISSIONS (EMTS). THE GOI IS WORKING WITH REGIONAL AUTHORITIES TO SET A NATIONAL STANDARD FOR EMISSIONS, AND WILL UNDERTAKE A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO ASSUAGE THE PUBLIC'S CONCERNS ABOUT EMTS. ¶11. (U) THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF BROADBAND IS A KEY GOAL FOR THE MINISTRY, AND FOR THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT AS A WHOLE. MINISTRY OFFICIALS INDICATED THAT BROADBAND UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 01084 02 OF 04 171344Z DEVELOPMENT WILL BE ONE OF THE ITALY'S PRIORITIES AS EU PRESIDENT. ¶12. (SBU) THE GOVERNMENT IS FINE-TUNING A PLAN FOR BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT, WHICH INCLUDES PUBLIC FUNDING OF NEARLY ONE BILLION EUROS OVER FIVE YEARS FOR PUBLIC DEMAND/USE. THE MINISTRY FOR INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY HAS CREATED AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FOR BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT. THE EVENTUAL AIM OF THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS IS TO HAVE BROADBAND COVERAGE FOR 85-90 PERCENT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, 65 PERCENT OF BUSINESSES AND 35 PERCENT OF HOUSEHOLDS. COMMUNICATIONS MINISTRY OFFICIALS ARGUED THAT BROADBAND'S POTENTIAL IN ITALY IS GREATER THAN IN THE REST OF EUROPE. GIVEN ITALY'S VARIED TOPOGRAPHY AND ITS ANCIENT RUINS, THE LAYING OF CABLE LINES PROVED DIFFICULT. CABLE TRANSMISSION NEVER TOOK OFF. ¶13. (U) WI-FI HAS JUST BEGUN IN ITALY, ACKNOWLEDGED MINISTRY OFFICIALS. ITALY'S NATIONAL PLAN FOR FREQUENCIES ENVISIONS THREE BANDS FOR WI-FI. A DECREE ISSUED IN FEBRUARY OPENS ACCESS TO WI-FI, BOTH FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE USE. ALTHOUGH NO OFFICIAL LICENSE IS REQUIRED, POTENTIAL WI-FI OPERATORS MUST INFORM THE MINISTRY PRIOR TO STARTING UP OPERATIONS. TERMINATION COSTS UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ2204 PAGE 01 ROME 01084 03 OF 04 171345Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 CIP-00 CTME-00 INL-00 DODE-00 ITCE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EXME-00 E-00 UTED-00 VC-00 FRB-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 ITC-01 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 CAEX-01 PER-00 ACE-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00 DRL-01 G-00 SAS-00 /009W -------------- 458FF5 171345Z /38 R 171239Z MAR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8754 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE AMCONSUL FLORENCE AMCONSUL MILAN AMCONSUL NAPLES DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC FCC WASHDC UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 04 ROME 001084 SIPDIS SENSITIVE COMMERCE FOR NTIA/GALLAGHER/SPECK; USDOC FOR 4220/MAC/EUR/SED/DDEFALCO; FCC FOR AGOMEZ AND ATHOMAS; JUSTICE FOR CWILLNER UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 01084 03 OF 04 171345Z E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECPS ETRD ETRD ETRD ETRD IT ITECPS ITECPS ITECPS SUBJECT: U.S./ITALY BILATERAL TALKS ON COMMUNICATIONS POLICY: FROM BROADBAND TO WI-FI TO CYBER SECURITY ¶14. (U) THE TERMINATION COST OF FIXED TO MOBILE NETWORKS IN ITALY IS IN EXCESS OF COSTS. U.S. FIRMS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THESE COSTS, AND IN JANUARY 2003, COMPTEL FILED A COMPLAINT IN THE OFFICE OF THE U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE'S (USTR'S) SECTION 1377 REVIEW. WHILE THE U.S. DELEGATION PRAISED THE AUTHORITY'S RECENT DECISION TO SET NEW TARIFFS FOR FIXED TO MOBILE INTERCONNECTION, AT 14.95 EURO CENTS FOR TERMINATION, A REDUCTION BY 12 PERCENT, THE U.S. ALSO EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR FUTURE REDUCTIONS. REGULATORY OFFICIALS TOLD THE U.S. DELEGATION THAT THEY PLAN TO REDUCE TERMINATION COSTS FURTHER IN 2004 AND 2005, IN THE RANGE OF 20 PERCENT, AND WILL INTRODUCE A NEW BASKET OF FIVE SERVICES SUBJECT TO A PRICE CAP. MULTILATERAL ISSUES - ITU, WRC, WSIS ¶15. (SBU) THE TWO DELEGATIONS DISCUSSED AT LENGTH THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE MARRAKECH MEETING OF THE ITU PLENIPOTENTIARY WHICH TOOK PLACE IN OCTOBER 2002. DIPLOMATIC ADVISOR GIORGOLO UNDERSCORED THE GOI'S FRUSTRATION WITH THE MEETING AND CONCERN THAT ITALY'S POSITIONS WERE NOT HEARD. IN PARTICULAR, ITALY IS CONCERNED THAT ITS REDUCTION IN CONTRIBUTION BY FIVE UNITS WILL LEAD TO A COMMENSURATE LOSS IN INFLUENCE. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 01084 03 OF 04 171345Z ¶16. (SBU) THE U.S. IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FOCUS OF THE ITU, COMMENTED AMBASSADOR GROSS. THE U.S. WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE "COMPROMISE" THAT FORCED COUNTRIES TO REDUCE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED VALUE OF EACH SHARE. THE U.S. WANTED THE VALUE OF EACH SHARE TO STAY THE SAME. GROSS NOTED THE USG'S CONCERN ABOUT THE PREMATURE ELECTIONEERING OF POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FOR ITU; ELECTIONS ARE NOT FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS. ¶17. (SBU) FABIO BIGI, SENIOR COUNSELOR FOR THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS, ARGUED THAT THE CENTRAL ROLE OF THE ITU AFTER MARRAKECH SHOULD BE THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORLDWIDE COMMUNICATIONS. THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT SHOULD SUPPORT ACTIVITY OF THE RADIOCOMMUNICATION, STANDARDIZATION, AND DEVELOPMENT SECTORS. THE COST OF RUNNING THE ITU, HE ARGUED, SHOULD NOT BE INCREASED. THE SECRETARIAT SHOULD EVALUATE THE ITU'S SERVICES AND PRODUCTS, ESTABLISH PRIORITIES, AND IMPROVE MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THE ITU SHOULD UNDERTAKE STEPS TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, HE URGED. IN ADDITION, THE ITU SHOULD FAVOR THE UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES AND PRODUCTS. ¶18. (SBU) MINISTRY OFFICIALS EXPRESSED THEIR HOPE THAT THE ITU WILL CONDUCT STUDIES TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF 3G SYSTEMS. THE ITU ALSO SHOULD WORK ON FREQUENCY BAND ALLOCATIONS. IN PREVIOUS ITU CONFERENCES, THEY NOTED, SOME FREQUENCY BANDS WERE IDENTIFIED AND ISSUED. SUCH ALLOCATIONS ARE ESSENTIAL, THEY ARGUED, TO GIVE COMPATIBILITY TO 3G SYSTEMS AND TO ENCOURAGE THE VIABILITY OF GALILEO. ¶19. (SBU) BIGI, GIORGOLO, AND OTHER ITALIAN DELEGATES UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 01084 03 OF 04 171345Z UNDERSCORED THEIR EAGERNESS TO WORK WITH THE U.S. ON ITU AND OTHER MULTILATERAL ISSUES. THEY NOTED THAT IT WAS OBVIOUS IN MARRAKECH THAT THE U.S. AND ITALY SHARED ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF THE SAME POSITIONS. THE TWO GOVERNMENTS COULD HAVE COMBINED STRATEGIES AND TACTICS, BIGI COMMENTED. THE GOI EMPHASIZED ITS DESIRE TO WORK WITH THE U.S. IN THE LEAD UP TO THE WRC IN JUNE AND THE WORLD SUMMIT ON THE INFORMATION SOCIETY IN DECEMBER. REGARDING THE WRC, ITALY'S POSITION ON WIRELESS LOCAL AREA NETWORKS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE EU CONSENSUS, GIORGOLO POINTED OUT. LEGAL FRAMEWORK ¶20. (U) AT THE TIME OF THE BILATERALS, MINISTRY UNDER SECRETARY INNOCENZI WAS TESTIFYING BEFORE PARLIAMENT ON THE SIPDIS LEGGE GASPARRI (THE LAW NAMED AFTER MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS GASPARRI). THE BILL, INTRODUCED TO PARLIAMENT IN SEPTEMBER 2002, FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON MEDIA OWNERSHIP. ACCORDING TO MINISTRY OFFICIALS, THE BILL IS BASED ON AN INTEGRATED ANTI-TRUST REGIME, WHICH TAKES INTO ACCOUNT EVERYTHING FROM TELEVISION, INTERNET, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, PUBLISHING. THE LEGGE GASPARRI ALSO SETS THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE PRIVATIZATION OF THE PUBLIC TELEVISION OPERATOR AND SERVICE PROVIDER, RAI. MORE THAN 2000 AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ2210 PAGE 01 ROME 01084 04 OF 04 171346Z ACTION EUR-00 INFO LOG-00 AID-00 CEA-01 CIAE-00 CIP-00 CTME-00 INL-00 DODE-00 ITCE-00 SRPP-00 EB-00 EXME-00 E-00 UTED-00 VC-00 FRB-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 ITC-01 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 CAEX-01 PER-00 ACE-00 SP-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 SS-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 R-00 DRL-01 G-00 SAS-00 /009W -------------- 45900F 171346Z /38 R 171239Z MAR 03 FM AMEMBASSY ROME TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8755 INFO EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE AMCONSUL FLORENCE AMCONSUL MILAN AMCONSUL NAPLES DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC FCC WASHDC UNCLAS SECTION 04 OF 04 ROME 001084 SIPDIS SENSITIVE COMMERCE FOR NTIA/GALLAGHER/SPECK; USDOC FOR 4220/MAC/EUR/SED/DDEFALCO; FCC FOR AGOMEZ AND ATHOMAS; JUSTICE FOR CWILLNER UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 01084 04 OF 04 171346Z E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECPS ETRD ETRD ETRD ETRD IT ITECPS ITECPS ITECPS SUBJECT: U.S./ITALY BILATERAL TALKS ON COMMUNICATIONS POLICY: FROM BROADBAND TO WI-FI TO CYBER SECURITY ADDED ON TO THE LEGGI GASPARRI. TIMETABLE FOR PASSAGE IS STILL NOT CERTAIN. ¶21. (U) THE ITALIAN PARLIAMENT HAS MANDATED THE END OF ANALOG TV TRANSMISSION AND ADOPTION OF DIGITAL BY 2006. THE MINISTER AND AUTHORITY ARE WORKING ON A NATIONAL FREQUENCY PLAN, ALTHOUGH EACH REGION WILL HAVE ITS OWN FREQUENCY NETWORK. THE AUTHORITY WILL ISSUE LICENSES FOR DIGITAL TV. NO SINGLE PROVIDER WILL BE ABLE TO USE MORE THAN 20 PERCENT OF THE NATIONAL DIGITAL SPECTRUM. CYBER SECURITY ¶22. (U) THROUGHOUT THE TWO DAYS OF DISCUSSIONS, THE PROTECTION OF CRITICAL TELECOM AND IT NETWORKS WAS A COMMON THEME. FOLLOWING LAST MAY'S CONFERENCE ON CYBER-SECURITY, CO-SPONSORED BY THE EMBASSY AND THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THE MINISTRIES OF COMMUNICATION AND OF INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY JOINTLY FORMED AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON CYBER-SECURITY. SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS VITTORIO STELO HEADS THIS COMMITTEE. ¶23. (SBU) PROCLAIMING THAT "WE CAN NOT BE FREE, IF NOT SAFE," STELO UNDERSCORED THE NEED FOR NETWORK SYSTEMS THAT ARE FAST, MODERN, EFFICIENT AND SECURE. THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH HE HEADS, IS EXPLORING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPUTER EARLY UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 01084 04 OF 04 171346Z RESPONSE TEAM (CERT) IN ITALY, PROMOTING THE AWARENESS OF THE NEED TO PROTECT SYSTEMS, WORKING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THE COMMITTEE WILL EVENTUALLY DESIGN A NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE PROTECTION OF NETWORKS USED BY THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. ¶24. (SBU) GOI OFFICIALS DISCUSSED IN BRIEF THE JUST-CREATED EU CYBER SECURITY AGENCY. SINCE THE MANDATE AND STRUCTURE OF THIS AGENCY IS STILL ON THE DRAWING BOARDS, THE GOI WANTS TO PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN SHAPING THIS AGENCY. ACCORDING TO COMMITTEE MEMBERS, FUNDING OF 24 MILLION EUROS HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR THE FIRST YEAR FOR THIS AGENCY. UPON THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE EU, ANNUAL FUNDING WILL INCREASE BY AT LEAST NINE MILLION EUROS. THE GOI ALSO INTENDS TO MAKE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION (CIP) A TOP PRIORITY AS EU PRESIDENT, ACCORDING TO MINISTRY OFFICIALS. ITALIAN OFFICIALS ARE EAGER TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE U.S. ON CIP, AND ARE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN EXPLORING JOINT R&D PROJECTS AND COMBINING EFFORTS ON CERTIFICATION OF SOFTWARE AND SYSTEMS. PRIVATE SECTOR ¶25. (U) ON THE MARGINS OF THE OFFICIAL DISCUSSIONS, THE U.S. DELEGATION MET SEPARATELY WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF MAJOR U.S. TELECOM COMPANIES (VERIZON, AT&T, MOTOROLA) AND ITALIAN (TELECOM ITALIA, EUTELSAT, RAI, WIND, TELEPIU AND OTHERS). THE ISSUE OF TERMINATION COSTS DOMINATED THE SESSION WITH THE U.S. PRIVATE SECTOR. ON ONE HAND, AT&T AND OTHERS COMPLAINED ABOUT THE HIGH COSTS, WHILE VERIZON, WHICH IS THE MINORITY SHAREHOLDER IN OMNITEL-VODAFONE, MAINTAINED THAT SUCH COSTS WERE JUSTIFIED. VERIZON AND OMNITEL EXECUTIVES ARGUED THAT UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 ROME 01084 04 OF 04 171346Z TELECOM COMPANIES ARE TOO HEAVILY REGULATED IN ITALY. ITALIAN COMPANIES INQUIRED ABOUT DIGITAL TELEVISION AND BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES, AND EXPRESSED OPTIMISM ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF BOTH IN ITALY. COMMENT ¶26. (SBU) WE FOUND THE GOI EAGER AND WILLING TO DISCUSS AND WORK WITH US ON REGULATORY ISSUES COMMON TO BOTH, TO EXCHANGE IDEAS FOR ENCOURAGING THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES, AND TO COLLOBORATE PRIOR TO KEY MULTILATERAL MEETINGS ON COMMUNICATIONS POLICY. IN SPECIFIC AREAS SUCH AS THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE WORLD RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONGRESS AND THE WORLD SUMMIT ON INFORMATION SOCIETY AND IN CYBER-SECURITY, PARTNERSHIP WITH ITALY WILL BE INVALUABLE. END COMMENT. ¶27. EB/CIP HAS CLEARED THIS CABLE. SEMBLER UNCLASSIFIED > 2003ROME01084 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED