Africa–Europe Broadband Mapping Policy Training Workshop (CRASA)

Day 1 – Morning: Policy Foundations for National Broadband Mapping Systems and EU–Africa Exchange

The morning of Day 1 will focus on the policy, governance, and legal foundations required to establish and sustain national broadband mapping systems. Participants will examine the rationale for broadband mapping, the institutional arrangements needed to support implementation, and the regulatory frameworks that enable effective data collection and management.

European experts will present the Lithuanian and broader European experiences in establishing broadband mapping systems, highlighting lessons related to legislation, regulatory mandates, operator obligations, and institutional coordination. African participants will present their national contexts and key legal, policy, and institutional challenges identified through the Africa-BB-Maps analyses, creating an opportunity for peer exchange and comparative discussion across countries.

Day 1 – Afternoon: Simulation 1 – Designing a National Broadband Data Reporting and QA/QC Framework

The afternoon of Day 1 will introduce the first policy simulation, focused on the design of a national framework for broadband data collection, reporting, and quality assurance. Participants will work in groups representing regulatory authorities and other relevant stakeholders and will be tasked with developing a legally defensible and operationally feasible framework for collecting broadband mapping data.

The 1st Policy Simulation Focus:

• Define minimum reporting obligations for broadband operators
• Establish metadata requirements and reporting standards
• Design quality assurance and quality control procedures
• Address confidentiality and commercially sensitive information
• Develop compliance mechanisms proportionate to operators’ capacities
• Balance rapid implementation needs with legal robustness and data quality requirements

Jury Challenge (Mid-Session Disruption):

At mid-point, the ITU–EU Host jury will introduce a scenario in which telecommunications operators formally object to the proposed reporting obligations, arguing that they are excessively broad, that the distinction between predicted coverage and actual service availability is unclear, and that certain requested infrastructure datasets are commercially sensitive.

Participants will be required to revise their frameworks, clarify legal definitions, reduce unnecessary compliance burdens, strengthen confidentiality safeguards, and identify the minimum viable reporting system that can be implemented quickly while maintaining legal defensibility and data reliability.

Day 2 – Morning: Simulation 2 – Cross-Border Interoperability and Metadata Harmonisation

The morning of Day 2 will focus on a second simulation addressing cross-border interoperability between neighbouring national broadband mapping systems. Participants will examine the challenges associated with comparing, aggregating, and jointly analysing broadband infrastructure and coverage data across different jurisdictions.

The Policy Simulation Focus:

• Identify barriers to interoperability between national broadband mapping systems
• Define minimum metadata requirements for cross-border analysis
• Harmonise classification systems and technical standards
• Establish governance arrangements for data sharing and coordination
• Develop practical approaches for phased interoperability improvements
• Support evidence-based regional planning and cross-border connectivity initiatives

Jury Challenge (Mid-Session Disruption):

At mid-point, the jury will reveal that one of the datasets intended for joint cross-border analysis contains incomplete metadata, inconsistent date fields, and infrastructure layers collected under confidentiality arrangements that do not permit wider publication.

Participants will be required to determine which datasets remain suitable for analysis, what information should be caveated or withheld, and what minimum harmonisation package can realistically be agreed in the short term while preserving confidence in the planning exercise.

Participants will subsequently revise their interoperability proposals and develop recommendations for both immediate and longer-term measures to strengthen regional cooperation and data harmonisation.

Day 2 – Afternoon: Simulation 3 – Regulatory Enforcement, Appeals and Institutional Credibility

The afternoon of Day 2 will focus on enforcement, compliance, and accountability mechanisms necessary to ensure the long-term integrity of broadband mapping systems. Participants will address situations involving inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading operator submissions and will design regulatory responses that remain legally defensible while maintaining stakeholder confidence.

Policy Simulation Focus:

• Design enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance and inaccurate reporting
• Define evidentiary standards and verification procedures
• Establish corrective measures and procedural safeguards
• Manage appeals and regulatory disputes
• Develop public communication strategies during periods of controversy
• Strengthen institutional credibility and long-term compliance incentives

Jury Challenge (Mid-Session Disruption):

At mid-point, the jury will introduce a scenario in which a major operator files a formal legal appeal challenging a regulatory corrective notice, while media coverage portrays the dispute as evidence that the national broadband map cannot be trusted.

Participants will be required to determine whether enforcement actions should continue during the appeal process, defend the regulator’s verification methodology and evidentiary standards, and develop a communication strategy that preserves confidence in the mapping system while transparently addressing the ongoing dispute.

Day 3 – Morning: Evaluation, Consolidation and Certification

The morning of Day 3 will focus on consolidating and evaluating the outcomes of the three simulations. Participants will present their final policy recommendations, regulatory approaches, and lessons learned relating to broadband mapping governance, interoperability, enforcement, and institutional accountability.

The session will provide an opportunity for collective reflection on how the proposed approaches can be adapted to different national broadband mapping contexts and implementation environments.

At the end of the session, the ITU–EU Host jury will review the simulation results and provide structured feedback on the applicability, feasibility, and sustainability of the proposed solutions.

Participants who have attended all sessions and successfully completed the programme will receive an ITU Academy digital badge.