The Communications Commission hosted the third day of the Digital Transformation Forum, organised with the support of the Georgian ICT Cluster, the USAID Economic Security Programme and other donor organisations. The conference was dedicated to Georgia’s open digital ecosystem and the development of the country’s telecom infrastructure. 

The session was opened by ComCom member Ekaterine Imedadze, Georgian ICT Cluster co-founder Davit Kiziria, Head of the Department of Communications, IT and Modern Technologies of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development Eka Kubusidze and the EU Delegation Attaché to Georgia for Digitalisation, Economic and Investment Plan, Lise Vanwimmelbeke. In the welcome speech, the participants discussed inclusive digital transformation, as well as the potential of Georgia's digital economy in the local and regional perspective. The first part of the sessions, which was dedicated to telecommunications, emphasis was placed on the sharing of infrastructure, development of broadband infrastructure and the creation of a neutral internet exchange point (IXP) in Georgia, which was discussed by Chairman of the Small and Medium Telecom Operators Association of Georgia Ucha Seturi. In the concluding part, the discussion was devoted to the ongoing projects in Georgia in this field, as well as the role of the Communications Commission in the flagship projects of the telecom market, which support digital transformation. 

The next panel was devoted to presentations by foreign experts. Participants discussed international experience and Georgia's opportunities regarding the development of telecommunications and digital ecosystem. The first participant was the digital and economic development programme manager of the European Commission's Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Thibaut Charlet, who spoke about the important role of Georgia in the digital support initiatives of the European Union in Georgia and the region, and in the regional connectivity project. Afterwards, Cullen International chief expert Veronika Bokarova gave a presentation and discussed the global telecom trends, technologies and factors that create a new reality. Later, Director of Global Licensing and Market Opening at SpaceX, Ryan Goodnight, discussed new technologies and the international mission of SpaceX's Starlink satellite network. 

After the presentations by foreign experts, the ComCom Head of Technology and Spectrum Department Sandro Karumidze talked about the importance of 5G technology, highlighting its characteristics, special features and global trends in this field. Additionally, he summarised the processes and activities carried out by the Communications Commission to implement 5G in Georgia. 

At the end of the session, a second panel discussion was led by the head of ComCom's Telecom Market Regulation and Competition Department, Eka Sichinava. The panel discussed the results of the comprehensive study carried out by the Communications Commission, as well as the challenges facing the telecom market in Georgia, such as the opening of the market and creation of virtual access models. The discussion also featured the managing partner of InexPHONE Rati Akhvlediani and the company’s commercial director Mariam Kakabadze, who discussed the business model of MobineX, a new Georgian mobile virtual operator founded by them in UK, and the difficulties associated with the Georgian market.

To remove barriers to the entry into the telecommunications market and promote competition, the Communications Commission, together with European experts, is carrying out a comprehensive study of the mobile and fixed markets.