Legal Scholarship Blog

29th International Telecommunications Society (ITS) European Conference

• When: August 1-4, 2018
• Where: University of Trento, Trento, Italy
• Deadline for Abstracts and Panel Suggestions: March 30, 2018
• Website: http://www.itseurope.org/2018/call-for-papers/ 

Today, information and communication technologies (ICT) are an integral part of our society and economy. Ever increasing numbers of people have access to mobile handsets and the Internet, revolutionising not only how we communicate but also creating a myriad of new products and services.

The most recent of new products and services are often prefaced with the term ‘smart’. ‘Smart’ ICT applications facilitate productivity improvements, aligning supply with demand and improving goods and services. They also generate substantial amounts of data, allowing an often very detailed understanding of the users of smart applications to be gained by companies and governments alike. This data encourages innovation, which has resulted in new products and services that can create jobs and bring countless benefits to users.

The initial enthusiasm associated with ‘smartness’ has, however, started to wane. The socio-economic benefits of ‘smartness’ are sometimes unclear. Smart meters may be popular, especially with governments, but who really benefits and are these devices really smart? The data that smartness generates is a valuable resource, but who owns it and can innovation be maintained while protecting the privacy of those who generate it?

Moreover, if the number and diversity of devices associated with the Internet of Things (IoT) comes to fruition, considerable amounts of new fixed and wireless infrastructure investment will be needed. Who will pay for this, and whether the business models of infrastructure and service providers are economically sustainable, is not yet clear. And are we prepared to accept the massive increase in the number of base stations required by 5G with their negative impact on both the urban and rural landscapes?

Notwithstanding the many socio-economic benefits associated with ICT, some commentators have questioned how the sector will develop over the course of the next few years. This uncertainty, which manifests itself in problematic, sometimes unsustainable and disputable, business models and a reluctance for companies to invest, is just one of the issues that will be discussed at the forthcoming 29th European regional conference of the International Telecommunications Society in Trento, Italy. In addition to papers exploring how the industry will develop in the coming years and those addressing sustainability, we welcome submissions on a range of topics as outlined below. Theoretical and empirical papers are welcome.

Track 1. High capacity networks

• Investment strategies for very high capacity networks
• Public-private interplay for high capacity networks
• Interoperability and standards of broadband networks
• Fixed broadband access networks for rural areas
• Role of content providers in broadband access networks
• The role of key user groups in encouraging the diffusion and adoption of high capacity networks

Track 2. Disruptive technologies and IoT

• Technological opportunities and limits of IoT technologies
• IoT and spectrum; needs and challenges
• The disruptive nature of IoT;
• Business models and challenges across sectors
• Security and privacy concerns with IoT
• Smart everywhere: energy, agriculture, mobility, etc.
• Regulatory challenges of smart applications
• Stakeholder interactivity in smart ecosystems

Track 3. Drivers of ICT ecosystem: content and applications

• Consumer and developer perspectives of application platforms
• Virtual/augmented reality content
• Multi-channel networks and user-generated content
• Content leverage in the ICT market
• Mobile instant messaging and applications

Track 4. Understanding the dynamic nature of ICT markets

• Innovative business models and blockchain technologies
• Platform competition in the mobile world
• Development and evolution of business models in digital markets
• M&A and strategic partnerships within or between ICT markets

Track 5. Pro-active policies and regulation in digital markets

• The opportunities and limits of spectrum licensing
• Allocating spectrum efficiently to new entrant and incumbent companies
• Net neutrality policies for network, platform, and content providers
• Institutional aspects of the cloud market
• Privacy regulation

Track 6. Towards environmentally friendly sustainable ICT

• Green ICT; manufacture and recycling of devices, energy consumption
• Global co-operation and national initiatives
• Global governance
• The impact of ICT infrastructure sharing  on the environment
• ICT standardization initiatives

Submissions addressing any other subject relating to telecommunication systems and markets are also welcome.

Submission of Abstracts

Abstracts should be about 2 pages (800 to 1000 words) in length and contain the following information:

• Title of the contribution
• A clear statement of the research question
• Remarks on methodology adopted in the paper
• Outline of (expected) results
• Bibliographical notes (up to 6 key references used in the paper)

Abstracts should be submitted via Easychair. If you do not already have an account, you will need to create one. Existing accounts can be used to submit your abstract.

Please submit your abstract via: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=its2018trento

All abstracts will be subject to blind peer review.