Communications in High Speed - EETT

1. 6th International Conference of EETT p.: 4 - 5

2. Article by Dr. Andreas Taprantzis, President of the PostalOperations Council (POC) p.: 6 - 7

3. Article by Mr. Pantelis Tzortzakis, Deputy Minister of Administrative Reform &Electronic Governance and President of the Committee on InformationTechnology and Telecommunications p.: 8 - 9

EETT NEWSLETTER • JULY 2011 • ISSUE 29

Communications in High Speed

Message from the Vice President

Technological Convergences and Regulatory SynergiesEETT is closely monitoring current trends by the Vice President of EETT, Mr. Michalis Sakkas

We are all now aware that the rapid technological advances in the markets of Electronic Communications and Postal Services, whose regulation falls under the competence of EETT, have brought about positive “shakeups” for the users-consumers but also for the business community, affecting the entire range of economic activity, since the relevant services are an important tool in the operation of any organization.

At the same time, however, they pose the imperative need for timely, effective, regulatory and monitoring interventions in order to ensure the smooth and harmonious operation

of the market, but also to protect the citizen from operational and financial distortions. This need is further intensified by the growing convergence between different transmission technologies (wired-wireless, fixed-mobile, terrestrial-satellite, copper-fiber optic etc.), the rapid expansion of bundled services (telephony, internet, IPTV, Video-on-Demand etc.) and the subsequent market convergence (telecommunications and mass media, hybrid mail etc.).

The intensity of these developments and their unpredictable nature make EETT’s regulation more necessary than ever before. It also highlights the need for cooperation and the development of synergies with other Authorities entrusted with vertical (referring to particular markets) or horizontal (referring to particular issues in all markets) competences. These partnerships and synergies must be harmonized in accordance with the clearly specified competences of each Authority in relation to its institutional framework.

With all due attention and respect for the European Regulatory Framework, the decisions of the Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications (BEREC) and the European Regulators Group for Postal Services (ERGP), the national legislative framework but also the decisions of the Executive Authority and of the Courts (both Greek and European), EETT is closely monitoring current trends in the ever changing socio-economic conditions and takes action in order to ensure the smooth operation of the market and the interests of the users-consumers and to contribute to the growth of the Greek economy.

Information

EETT NewsletterQuarterly Publication of the Hellenic Telecommunications & Post Commission (EETT)

July 2011 - Issue 29Pages: 16

Responsible for the current edition by power of law:Dr. Leonidas Kanellos, EETT President

EETT Main Line: + 30 210 615 1000Fax: +30 210 610 5049URL: http://www.eett.grE-mail: [email protected]

Editor-in-chief: Michalis Sakkas, EETT Vice PresidentEditing: EETT Public Relations Department

Reduction - Design - Production:RE: PUBLIC LTD9, Miltiadou Str., 152 32 HalandriTel: + 30 210 683 5400 - Fax:+30 210 684 2604

The newsletter is distributed free of charge.The articles published herein are not binding for EETT.

Contents

Message from the Vice President p.: 2

Recent Jurisprudence of the Plenary

of the Council of State relating to EETT p.: 3

6th International Conference of EETT p.: 4-5

Article by Dr. Andreas Taprantzis, President of the Postal Operations Council (POC) and Deputy CEO of T Bank and Executive Director of the Hellenic

Republic Asset Fund p.: 6-7

Main Article by Mr. Pantelis Tzortzakis, Deputy Minister of Administrative Reform & Electronic Governance and President of the Committee on Information Technology

and Communications p.: 8-9

The Protection of Confidential Information: Data Leak Prevention Technology in the

Service of Security p.: 10-11

Nationwide Survey Conducted by EETT

on the Universal Postal Service Provider p.: 12-13

EETT’s one-day Conference

on Postal Services p.: 14

Submission of the EETT Annual Report to

the President of the Greek Parliament p.: 15

EETT Recommendation to Consumers p.: 16

The Plenary of the CoS -although summo-ned to decide on a dispute concerning the lawfulness of an individual administrative decision of EETT, more specifically, the license for the construction of a mobile telephony antenna mast- actually settled the issue posed by the legislator’s conversion of disputes arising due to contesting the regulatory decisions of EETT into substantive disputes and decided that article 67 is unconstitutional in this respect.

Therefore, the exercise of full jurisdiction that would enable the judge to annul or revise the contested regulatory decision would entail “the interference of the judiciary with the executive on issues falling under its exclusive responsibility” and this is not permitted by the Greek Constitution.

However, with regard to EETT’s regulatory decisions, the Plenary of the CoS left an important issue unsettled: That was not the question of what legal remedy to use, since only the application for annulment was deemed appropriate, but before which court (the CoS or the ACApA)

should the regulatory actions of EETT be contested. Also, with regard to individual actions by EETT, the Plenary of the CoS left two further important issues unsettled: with what legal remedies (annulment application or proceeding on merits) and before what court should the individual actions of EETT be contested.

In accordance with Decision 3919/2010 of the CoS, when settling disputes arising from the contestation of individual decisions [by EETT], the constitutionality of converting these disputes from applications for annulment into proceedings on merits has to be examined in view of their object according to the provisions of Law 3431/2006, the preconditions required for their publication, the nature of the investigation based on which the contribution of these preconditions can be confirmed, and the consequences that would be brought about by their revision. Therefore, given the legal nature of each contested decision and in conformity with the above-mentioned case law of the Plenary

of CoS, the “nature” and “significance” of the dispute must be examined, according to the revised provision of article 95§3 Const., in order to decide whether the dispute must be settled as an application for annulment by the CoS.

ConclusionThe significant decision 3919/2010 of the Plenary of the CoS leaves unresolved certain issues of constitutionality posed by the article 67 of Law 3431/2006, which will be settled by the Plenary of the CoS within the framework of other cases under examination. These questions need to be answered urgently for reasons of legal certainty and for the protection of citizens, in order to avoid in the future repeated judicial contestations with regard to what are the appropriate legal remedies that should be used and which is the appropriate administrative court that should settle the dispute.

¹ The views expressed in this article are personal and are not binding for EETT.

Electronic Communications

Recent Jurisprudence of the Plenary of the Council of State relating to EETTby Dr. Vassilios Th. Kondylis, Lawyer, Legal Advisor of EETT¹, Lecturer of the Law School of Athens

3July 2011 • ISSUE Νο 29

XXXXXXXXXPlenary’s Decision

The Plenary of the Council of State (CoS), with its Decision no. 3919/2010 published in December 3, 2010, ruled on the constitutionality of article 67 of Law 3431/2006, according to which: “1. The decisions of EETT are subject to appeal before the Administrative Court of Appeals of Athens […]” [ACApA]. This decision marks the beginning of the resolution of a long-standing procedural problem regarding the right to effective judicial protection in the Electronic Communications and Postal Services sectors.

6th International Conference of EETTAdvanced Communication Infrastructures as a Cornerstone for

Europe’s Digital Agenda

International Conference


In the Conference, there were presentations by Presidents of Regulatory Authorities from abroad, high-ranking executives from electronic communications operators and radio-television media, as well as representatives from international organizations. The welcome address was given by the former Deputy Minister of Infrastructures, Transport and Networks, Mr. Spyros Vougias, whereas the keynote speaker on the second day of the event was the former Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Tilemachos Chytiris.

Among the topics discussed in the Conference were the challenge of fulfilling the goals of the 2020 European Digital Agenda, the expected social and economic benefits from the digital transition, the alternative solutions for developing advanced network infrastructures in Greece, the policies of the European Commission on broadband

networks and on the utilization of the radio spectrum for mobile broadband, and the swift transition to terrestrial digital television.

In his welcome address, Mr. Vougias, after praising EETT for taking the initiative to organize the Conference, outlined the strategy for the promotion of broadband focusing on two actions: Firstly, the development of the new national infra-structure for Fiber Τo Τhe Home along with relevant projects by other ministries. Secondly, the establishment of the proper institutional framework, with the main intervention being the imminent revision of Law 3431/2006 that will incorporate the new regulatory framework on electronic communications of the European Union. Mr. Vougias reaffirmed that covering the entire country with access to high speed broadband networks constitutes a main priority of the Ministry and of the Government as a whole. He also mentioned that the role of EETT is of key importance in this undertaking. For this reason, the Government is looking forward to a closer collaboration with EETT, especially given the international recognition of its contribution, as testified by its election in the Vice-Presidency of the Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communication (BEREC).

Afterwards, the Conference participants were greeted by Mr. Michalis

Papadopoulos, Member of the Parliament (MP) from Kozani Prefecture and Head of the Division of Civic Responsibility for Transport, Communication and Networks of the New Democracy party, Mr. Makis Papadopoulos, Head of the Economy Division and Member of the Central Committee of the KKE party, Mr. Kostis Aivaliotis, MP from Athens and Spokesman for the LAOS party, and Mr. Lefteris Avgenakis, MP from Heraklion Prefecture and Representative of the Democratic Alliance party, whereas a message sent by Mr. Michalis Kritsotakis, MP from Heraklion Prefecture and Representative of the Syriza party, was read to the participants.

Welcoming the participants, the President of EETT and Vice Chair of BEREC, Dr. Leonidas Kanellos, referred to the ambitious goals of the 2020 Digital Agenda, stressing that their fulfillment is not a luxury but a necessity under current economic conditions. The President of EETT stressed the need for effective business models that will facilitate the development of infrastructures. Moreover, he expressed his opinion in favor of adopting actions that will increase the potential of the internet as a tool for bilateral communication and will convert the up to now passive consumer into an active citizen and a content producer, but also of taking initiatives for the further expansion of broadband as a precondition for the digital recovery of the


The 6th International Conference of EETT on “Advanced Communication Infrastructures as a Cornerstone for Europe’s Digital Agenda” was held with great success on June 2nd and 3rd, 2011. The Conference, which was attended this year by an impressive number of participants, focused on the need to promote communications infrastructures that will enable the transi-tion to the digital economy and facilitate the citizens’ access to the Information Society.

economy. In his conclusion, the President of EETT noted that broadband has to become a social good for the majority and a technocratic approach is not enough for that purpose, but a broader vision for digital development is required. Such a vision should include flexible solutions with mixed investment schemes, a study of the best practices and their transfer in Greece, combined with the adoption of the proper legal framework for the development of new networks.

In the first session entitled “Broadband everywhere – from digital isolation to digital solidarity”, the participants were greeted by video messages from Mr. Julius Genachowski, President of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the USA and Dr. J. S. Sarma, President of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRAI) of India. Afterwards, the best practices from other countries were presented.

The keynote speaker in the second session of the Conference was Professor Sokratis Katsikas, General Secretary of Communications, who highlighted the importance of the Forum “Digital Greece 2020” and of the establishment of the Committee on Information Technology and Communications. Mr. Katsikas stressed that the development of broadband infrastructures is not an end in itself but a means for the transition to the digital age, and thus it should not be dissociated from the other goals of the Digital Agenda. Also, he recognized the progress achieved

so far with regard to the Fiber To The Home (FTTH) projects but also the need to redefine the concept of the Universal Service, possibly expanding it to cover broadband services. With regard to the spectrum, Mr. Katsikas talked about the need to lift the bureaucratic obstacles for antenna licensing and further regulate the radio-television market. Following that, there was a roundtable discussion with the participation of telecommunications providers, who shared their own views on the future of high speed network infrastructures in Greece.

The keynote speaker in the third session of the Conference was Mr. Chris Fonteijn, President of BEREC and of the Regulatory Authority of the Netherlands (OPTA), who referred to the goals of the Body and the regulatory challenges of the forthcoming period. More specifically, Mr. Fonteijn explained that BEREC’s basic priorities are promoting competition with regard to the creation of infrastructures, facilitating investments in New Generation Access networks, ensuring the open character of the internet and fostering progress with respect to harmonization and cooperation.

On the second day of the Conference, the former Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Tilemachos Chytiris, described the great challenge of digital transition, and assessed the progress that has been achieved so far. Mr. Chytiris stressed that the process of transition to terrestrial digital television will proceed as planned, highlighting the need for making

the best use of the digital dividend and sorting out the television landscape in a definitive way.

The EETT Conference was particularly successful both in terms of participation, since the number of participants exceeded 700 and the number of individual users who watched the Conference online exceeded 230, and in terms of content, since the discussions in the various sessions produced useful and practical conclusions whose value will be assessed in the near future.



All speeches and presentations are available on EETT’s website: http://www.eett.gr/conference2011/html/speeches-gr.htm

Also, the proceedings of the Conference can be accessed on the following webpage: http://www.eett.gr/conference2011/html/praktika-gr.htm

Mr. S. Vougias, former Deputy Minister of Infrastructures, Transport and Networks.

Mr. T. Chytiris, former Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism.

Professor S. Katsikas, General Secretary of Communications.

Dr. L. Kanellos, President of EETT and Vice Chair of BEREC.

Mr. A. Syrigos, Vice President of EETT and coordinator of the 5th Session (center) with the speakers (from left to right) Mr. L. Tagmatarhis, Managing Director, ERT S.A., Mr. G. Mathios, Managing Director, Digea, Mr. E. Savarese, Commissioner from the Regulatory Authority of Italy, (AGCOM), Mr. F. Colasanti, Chair, International Institute of Communications (IIC).

Postal Services


It’s time for bold decisions

Undoubtedly, the global postal market is at a critical turning point, trying to successfully respond to a very demanding and rapidly changing environment.

One of the effects of the global economic and credit crisis of 2008 - 2009 was that it provoked or at least accelerated the development of certain trends that were already in place. Although the global economy has started to grow again since 2010, it is true that the greatest part of this growth is now occurring in developing countries, whereas the mature markets of the developed economies have rather stagnated. This growth is a clear inversion of historical trends. Whereas in the past the growth of the global GDP was overwhelmingly due to the contribution of the developed

economies, the emerging markets are today leading the global recovery. Furthermore, we observe that innovation and technological development have ceased to be the exclusive privilege of developed economies. An obvious consequence for the sector is that the new successful business model for postal operators may emerge from the example of the developing economies. What is certain is that the “ordinary” business model of the “national” postal operator has outlived its usefulness.

In any case, technology and the internet have radically changed the way that citizens and companies communicate and do business. This change seems to have now reached an exponential rate. In July 2010, only 6 years after the creation

of Facebook, the number of users exceeded 500 million. Social networking has changed completely the mode of communication between people and it is a good example of how technology can alter ordinary behavior in a very short period of time. In business terms, this development means that the power of consumers has dramatically increased. Consumers now have so much power as to influence directly the decisions of big conglomerates. A manifestation of the power of social networking was the recent developments in North Africa and the Middle East as well as other movements in the world. For the postal sector, the practical consequence is that it should handle better and in a more secure way the data of the consumers who use the

by Dr. Andreas Taprantzis, President of the Postal Operations Council (POC) and Deputy CEO of T Bank and Executive Director of the Hellenic Republic Asset Fund

In the preceding month, the annual meeting of the Postal Operations Council (POC) was held in Bern under the presidency of Dr. Andreas Taprantzis. In view of the Global Postal Conference that will be held in Doha in 2012, the prominent issues in the agenda of the meeting were the new strategy for the global postal market, the new measures for the safe handling of cross-border mail, as well as the POC initiatives for developing new added-value services, the Global Monitoring System (GMS) and the new internet platform (.post). POC completed very successfully a great number of projects undertaken at the 24th Global Conference in Geneva in 2008 and has already begun the preparation for the next conference. In this perspective, EETT invited Dr. Taprantzis to present his views on the new trends in the postal sector and the role of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and of the POC in shaping these trends.

Postal Services


postal network while also responding to their needs with new, innovative services.

Both the growing awareness of citizens regarding the environmental impact of the use of mail and the demographic trends of the increasing urbanization and ageing of the population (until 2050, the global population older than 65 years old will double from 7.6% to 16.2%), as well as the continuous increase of immigrants (214 million in 2010 compared to 150 million in 2000), have an important effect on the postal sector. According to the new demographic data, the cost of the provision of universal services in rural and remote areas will rise and the reduction of the active population will aggravate government budgets and complicate their financing, on the one hand, while new opportunities are emerging due to the increasing demand for capital transfer services, on the other.

Another important trend to observe is the rapid growth of illicit trade through the post. A recent EU study showed that 34% of smuggled or illegal products, including narcotic drugs and illegal medical products is handled through the global postal network. This fact constitutes a serious problem for the postal sector and we expect to see soon the implementation of a stricter regulatory framework and new customs procedures.

The above-mentioned tendencies should

be added to those we already knew, engendering a direct need for radical changes. In recent years, there has been a dramatic fall in the volume of mail, at least in the developed countries, mainly due to electronic substitution. In several countries, there was also an important reorientation of the big clients from priority postal services to lower cost services. These two trends were significantly accelerated by the financial crisis, thus turning the business models of the big postal organizations unsustainable. In order to implement the necessary changes, we have to take account of the new opportunities emerging, such as the growth of electronic commerce that feeds a continuous increase in the volume of parcels.

Furthermore, it must be noted that throughout the world the postal markets are undergoing important structural changes, despite the minor differen-tiations from area to area, highlighting the essential role of regulatory authorities. In 2011, 10 more EU postal markets were fully opened to competition, on top of the 6 that had preceded them until the end of 2010, whereas 11 more markets will follow in 2013. Although the liberalization of postal markets is not a global trend, the fact that the EU is oriented towards a single postal market, open to competition, has and will have important effects on the global postal

sector.

In this framework, the UPU strategy and the activity of the POC are structured around 4 basic pillars and strategic objectives:

1. Improving the interconnection between the international postal networks, emphasizing the quality of their services, their reliability and effectiveness.

2. Providing know-how and specialized services to both the members of the Union and to inter-state and inter-governmental organizations.

3. Creating and promoting innovative products and services for developing all three dimensions of the global postal network (circulation of natural goods, values and information).

4. Taking global initiatives for the promotion of environmental and social responsibility.

These objectives are broken down into 20 action programs designed to support the effort of UPU members to promote sustainable development responsive to contemporary needs. However, the precondition for success in this new and complex environment that is taking shape in the postal sector is the willingness of organizations to take immediate initiatives and to implement bold decisions now!

Main Article


Express reform!

The establishment of a Deputy Ministry of Electronic Governance constitutes a significant innovation that comes at a critical moment. I would not say “the most appropriate moment”, for the very simple reason that the concerted planning and coordination of the electronic reform of the state should have begun many years ago. However, the urgent character of the economic conjuncture can become a catalyst for taking initiatives that are long overdue. On the other hand, the rapid and consistent implementation of a plan for the electronic restructuring of the state will play in its turn a stimulating role for fulfilling the important goals required in the current conjuncture, such as restricting public spending, combating tax evasion and retrieving revenues, improving the absorption of European funds, servicing directly the needs of the citizens, encouraging innovation and identifying the necessary outlets for development and economic recovery.

The establishment of the Committee on Information Technology and Communications is an equally important institutional intervention (by virtue of a decision of the preceding ministerial council,

subsequent to a proposal of the Prime Minister). It may not have been mentioned explicitly, but it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that, in the context of the Mid-term Plan for the Greek economy, the work of the Deputy Ministry and of the Committee can play a critical role.

The technological modernization of the state and of the economy has long been an imperative need for our country and a focal point for interpreting the ills that plague it. Today, more than ever before, it is one of the most important prerequisits in the huge adjustment effort undertaken by our country.

Both the government and the Greek society at large are entitled to expect from the Deputy Ministry of Electronic Governance and from the Committee on Information Technology and Communications certain results, such as achieving spectacular savings in fiscal indicators, identifying development prospects despite the recession, or planning an industrial policy in two critical sectors of the economy. Above all, the most important result would be the transformation of the state from the hydrocephalic and inefficient bureaucratic formation that it has always been to a tool for serving directly and

efficiently the citizens and the businesses.

Greek people have paid and continue to pay a heavy price in dealing with the crisis, since our economy developed through distortions and was hit hard at the onset of the unprecedented global financial crisis. An express procedure that would reverse the trend in the most critical sectors of electronic governance, information technology and telecommunications could offer valuable outlets, becoming the engine that would draw other sectors of the economy to create a dynamic development.

On the front of the fiscal crisis, the impact of a program for the rapid development of tools for management and financial control will offer spectacular results. The economics of health and insurance funds (prescription, hospital and insurance fund expenses), the rationalization and restructuring of public procurement or the monitoring of the market of fuels are characteristic examples of sectors where resources can be saved at little cost and with fast results. It is not an exaggeration to say that the promotion of swift and reliable automatic processing in these sectors could offset some of the cutbacks in wages, pensions and social

by Mr. Pantelis Tzortzakis, Deputy Minister of Administrative Reform & Electronic Governance and President of the Committee on Information Technology and Communications


Main Article

spending that the Government is forced to implement in order to deal with the fiscal impasse in which the country finds itself.

All of the above, along with legislative initiatives aiming at the creation of new industrial policy frameworks, will harmonize Greek legislation with the latest developments in EU legislation and, most of all, will steer the Greek society into the path of fulfilling the goals set by the EU as a whole, in which Greece has been traditionally falling behind.

Furthermore, we need a change in the framework of judging cases related to the information technology and tele-communications market, the development of public-private partnerships with mutual

benefit and the association of university teaching and research with production.

The above aims are certainly considered very important precisely because they are self-evident (even though they have been stagnating for a decade). What is even more important –precisely because it is not self-evident or, in any case, because we are not used to consider it as such– is the creation of an environment that will encourage innovation and offer opportunities to young scientists, thus preventing their migration. The organization of competitions focused on innovation, the establishment of venture capitals that will take the risk of investing on the inspiration and talent of young Greek scientists, the provision of infrastructures,

facilitations and technical support, the creation of opportunities for cooperation with international research centers and for the development of technology: these are actions that can really reverse the direction of the Greek economy at a low cost, moderating the consequences of the crisis or even converting it from a curse into a blessing.

In a country which has accepted with resignation its technological lag, bureaucracy and loss of development opportunities, all of the above may sound like wishful thinking. On the other hand, the opportunity is too great to be missed. We have to seize it by all means and… in high speed!

The Protection of Confidential Information: Data Leak Prevention Technology in the Service of Securityby Mr. Athanassios Ntais, Information Technology and Communications Systems Engineer, MBA, MSc



Media frequently refer to confidential documents that were leaked, confidential information that was revealed and press sources that remain anonymous. There are certain words and phrases that, when listened to, stimulate the mind and make the narrator sound like a modern Prometheus, ready to reveal the secret knowledge of the gods to the mortals.

But things are not always so romantic. Usually, the term “confidential information” refers to data whose revelation to the wider public may cause problems at many levels of society. Certainly, nobody would like a medical problem of his to become the subject of public discussion. Undoubtedly, nobody would like to see his neighbors analyzing his salary chart and discussing about his finances. Nobody would like to see confidential data of his business falling to the hands of competitors and nobody would like to see the secret defense plans of his country revealed to those enemies who conspire against its territorial integrity. The legislator has taken care that all of the above sensitive data are included either under the category of medical confidentiality, or under the personal, commercial and other categories of confidentiality of national significance.

For many years, the safekeeping of confidential documents was conducted only at the physical level since they were all in written form. Locked drawers, armored steel doors and even armed security guards were the means to ensure that nobody would copy sensitive information. Thanks to the development of technology, things have become simpler… in a way that made them even more complex! Now, all data can be stored electronically, handled automatically, copied without cost and printed anywhere, while they are often transferred “outside the gates” and communicated to third parties. Usually, the protection offered by the most common information systems is restricted to limiting the access to a resource. The user does or does not have access to a folder of documents. But once he is permitted access, he can do anything he wants.

The problem becomes more complex if we ask the question posed by Plato in the “Republic”, which has remained unanswered since 380 B.C. “Who shall guard the guardians?”. The way things stand, the managers of information systems have full and unlimited access to both the systems themselves and to the information handled and stored in

them. So, when confidential information is leaked, they often become scapegoats. Very frequently, the real leakers launch accusations against the managers of information infrastructures in order to avert suspicions from themselves.

Fortunately, in recent years, the landscape is beginning to change with the emergence and continuous improvement of Data Leak Prevention (DLP) systems. These systems provide a safe venue for electronic storage where sensitive information is stored in encrypted form. The user can access the information only within the system, under specific and controlled conditions and always in accordance with the requirements of his work. So, for example, he may open an Excel file, change some data and then store it as a new version in a prescribed network location, but he may not be allowed to store it in a USB Flash disk or print it. During the processing of the file, the system may allow the function of copy pasting from one file to another within the DLP system, but if the user tries to paste in a file located in his local disk, then he will receive a message that this action is not allowed.

Essentially, DLP systems are the electronic

The need for securing the confidentiality of documents has led to the development of Data Leak Prevention (DLP) systems, which constitute a safe venue for electronic storage where sensitive information is stored in encrypted form.

Data Leak Prevention (DLP) Technology



equivalent of “Glove Boxes” that we know from chemistry. Within the controlled space of a “Glove Box”, the user can perform his task normally without risking any leak of substances since they cannot escape the airtight box.

DLP systems are an important “weapon“ in the hands of organizations since their use can prove that any eventual leaks are not due to the organizations themselves but to other “links” in the chain of information transfer. In fact, the adoption of policies of multiple roles, in their more updated versions, can ensure that not even the managers of information

systems themselves can extract sensitive information without being noticed. This clears them from suspicion in case of a leak, since something like that is practically very difficult and economically inadvisable.

Once again taking the lead, EETT recently adopted the use of such a system. Its aim is to protect the sensitive information handled by the Authority and to ensure that confidential data will not fall into non-competent hands. The system already protects data related to cost accounting audits, financial offer audits, confidential businesses information and, more broadly, a whole range of confidential information.

In fact, the system that was implemented, took into consideration the special needs of EETT and, in some cases, was significantly improved compared to the well-known commercial solutions.

Work at a «Glove Box» & «Glove Box»

Nationwide Survey Conducted by EETT on the Universal Postal Service Provider

Postal Services


The survey focused on understanding the

needs and factors composing the ideal

postal service, studying and examining the

existing Postal Services offered so far by the

Hellenic Post (ELTA) as well as investigating

the preferences, trends and proposals of

consumers with regard to the provision of

new or more updated services.

For conducting the survey, EETT took into

account the Postal Directive 2008/6/EC of

February 20, 2008, which puts emphasis on

recording the needs of users, especially in

rural and sparsely populated areas and the

way these needs change. Also, EETT took

into account the draft of the new Postal

Law under publication, which focuses on

fully expanding the current market, so that

the Regulatory Authority can ensure and

improve the quality of services offered to

the consumers.

Individuals and businesses participated in

the survey in a representative nationwide

sample from both continental and island

areas as well as from urban and rural areas,

including a limited number of Municipalities

with a significant number of areas exempted

from the quality of the Universal Service

(US). The basic conclusions that emerged

from the survey can provide a useful guide

for regulating the postal market and meeting

the real needs of users in an effective way.

For the businesses that took part in the

survey, the most important factor for

choosing alternative providers was the

high level of service at all stages of the

postal service, whereas for the individuals,

the most important factor was the delay

in the delivery of items. More specifically,

while 50% of the individuals mail items

exclusively through the ELTA, only 20% of

businesses restrict themselves to ELTA for

dispatching postal items and 10% use only

alternative providers (couriers). The rate of

satisfaction and loyalty of businesses (14%)

is low and in fact is much lower than that of

individuals (22%).

The advantages of ELTA that emerged from

the survey are the network of post offices,

the price of services and the extensive

familiarity of consumers with the company.

The sectors that could be improved are the

speed in the dispatch of postal items, the

manner of dealing with the problems that

may arise, the waiting time for service and

the hours of operation. More specifically,

individuals hold the view that, compared

with alternative providers (couriers), ELTA is

better only in terms of the network of post

offices and the price of services, whereas

it lags behind in other important aspects,

such as the speed of the dispatch of postal

items, the delivery of postal items to the

right destinations and the quality of service

from the post office staff. The same view is

held by the businesses, who also evaluate

ELTA quite low in terms of the waiting time

for service.

Individuals

88ELTA ELTA

Businesses

59

12 41

Base: total number of respondents who dispatch postal items

Use of Postal Items by Individuals and Businesses

Alternativeprovider

13% of businessesuse only alternative providers

2% of the populationuse only

alternative providers

23% of businessesuse only ELTA

50% of the populationuse only ELTA

Alternativeprovider

Nationwide Survey

Familiarity with the available Postal Services, the satisfaction of users from the Universal Service Provider (USP) and the quality of service are some of the important issues investigated by EETT in the context of the nationwide telephone survey conducted in cooperation with the Millward Brown company.


Postal Services

90% of individuals use ELTA offices for

dispatching postal items. The average time

of waiting is about 19 minutes. According

to the survey, users would strongly favor

the operation of USP post offices in the

afternoon and on Saturdays, even if this

entailed an additional charge in their

dispatches.

Among the individual users of ELTA,

65% state that they are satisfied but that

they would consider switching provider,

while 22% are disappointed and only

5% describe themselves as loyal to ELTA.

Among the businesses, the respective

percentages are 53%, 28% and 6%.

For the individuals, the main reasons for

the decline in the use of ELTA services

are their substitution with other forms of

communication, such as email and social

networking websites, but also the high

cost of the services. For the businesses, the

main reason is the decline in their turnover

and the substitution of these services with

other forms of communication, such as

email and social networking websites. 80%

of individuals dispatch items every two

months or more rarely. 40% of businesses,

however, dispatch items every two weeks

or more frequently. Therefore, as expected,

the main clients of ELTA (in terms of

revenues) are the businesses.

Furthermore, 50% of individuals and 60%

of businesses say that all or most of the

items dispatched are of low priority, that

is, they don’t have to be delivered on the

day after their dispatch. More than half of

the users (53%) do not know that they have

a right to specific quality standards in the

provision of the US. 74% of those who

live in areas exempted from the Universal

Service are not aware of this fact, whereas

the remaining 36% who are, do not know

what they are exempted from and why.

The home delivery of postal items, even if

not on a daily basis, is by far the preferred

method compared to daily delivery in other

facilities, such as post office boxes, coffee

shops etc. The main benefits anticipated by

users from the imminent liberalization of the

postal market are better prices for services

and more efficient customer service,

expecting the USP to improve the quality

of service and the private providers to offer

services at a lower cost.

The conclusions of the survey concerning

the quality of the US and its exemptions will

be taken into consideration by EETT in the

formation and submission of the relevant

proposals to the competent Ministry.

Base: total number of respondents - individuals

Features to be Improved in ELTA

Waiting time for service

More staff in post offices

Better customer service

Fast/direct service

Expanding the hours of operation

Fast delivery of letters

Fast dispatch

Better prices

Staff behavior

Secure delivery of letters

More post offices

Staff training

More dispatch security

Consistency in the time of delivery

Responsibility of postmen

Improvement of post office space

More postmen

14

12

11

11

7

6

5

4

4

3

3

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

26

2

Reliability

Speed

Bills delivered on time

Speed of parcel collection

Speed of letter dispatch

Better internal organization

Service for People with Disabilities/Seniors

Better services

I have nothing to propose

In the one-day Conference, there were presentations and discussions about the appropriate regulatory, economic and technological options as tools for the viable development of the Greek postal market to the benefit of the citizens, the businesses and the national economy.

The welcome address was given by EETT’s Vice President for the Postal Services sector, Mr. Michalis Sakkas.

Next, the President of EETT and Vice Chair of the Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications (BEREC), Dr. Leonidas Kanellos, described the actions taken by the Authority in 2010 for the postal sector and outlined the goals for 2011, namely, implementing the new postal law when it is issued, establishing the secondary regulatory framework, examining competition issues, monitoring the market with targeted regulatory actions, as well as expanding the internet procedures for licensing and electronic communication.

Keynote speaker at the one-day Conference was the former Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks (MITN), Mr. Spyros Vougias, who spoke extensively about the Draft of the new Postal Law under publication which adopts the guidelines of Community Directive 2008/6/EC and promotes fair competition, openess and development, while ensuring the provision of the US and consumer rights. This Draft Law achieves the following: (a) the rationalization of the cost of the US, (b) the financing of the deficit of the US provider and (c)

giving the possibility to the US provider of assigning part of the US to subcontractors.

The General Secretary of Communications, Professor Sokratis Katsikas, who was the keynote speaker at the second session of the conference, stressed that “the liberalization process should be implemented with fairness for all: both the public –so far at least– provider of the post offices and the private providers”, while he added that “equal opportunities entail also equal obligations”.

Subsequently, other distinguished spea-kers expressed their views, including the Cyprus Commissioner for the Regulation of Electronic Communications and Post Offices, the Head of the Postal Division of the EU, representatives from the Irish Regulatory Authority, the Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy (ADAE) and important companies of the sector, as well as executives from EETT.

The main points raised during the one-day Conference were the following:

• The publication of the draft law on the full liberalization of the market is expected sooner from the MITN.

• For adequately regulating the market, apart from the legislation, the role of the regulator is also particularly significant both for the implementation and the growth of competition. This is also obvious in the European countries where the market has been liberalized but competition has not yet grown. In order to ensure the fulfillment of the objectives of postal reform in the EU,

the European Commission recently established the European Regulators Group for the Post (ERGP), where EETT is a participant.

• For the second consecutive year, the Greek postal market registered a significant fall. However, the decline of the figures of traditional mail has to be seen as an opportunity for the revision of business models. Innovation and service quality must become the basic factors of development.

• Security in postal services and the role of the Government are the determining factors for taking new measures and implementing them. Both EETT and ADAE are ready to assist the Government by submitting proposals in order to find the optimal solution for taking security measures, ensuring confidentiality and promoting the effective operation of providers and quality of service for the clients.

Postal Services


EETT’s one-day conference on Postal Services

EETT’s One-day Conference

EETT’s one-day Conference entitled “Towards the liberalization of the Postal Market: European practice and national initiative” was successfully held in Athens on April 13, 2011.

The President of EETT, Dr. Leonidas Kanellos, and the Vice President, Mr. Michalis Sakkas, submitted in electronic form to the President of the Greek Parliament, Mr. Fillipos Petsalnikos, the Independent Authority’s Annual Report for the year 2010.


ΕΕΤΤ

Submission of the EETT Annual Report to the President of the Greek Parliament

The President of the Greek Parliament stated that the report of the Independent Authority is especially useful for everyone and will be passed on to the Members of the Parliament (MPs) and to the political parties. He also added that the cooperation of all is required for accelerating the procedures for allocating the digital dividend. Given that the frequencies are not a private right but a public good, these procedures must be completed soon in order to sort out once and for all the management of the broadband spectrum. In conclusion, Mr. Petsalnikos noted that the assignment of frequencies for radio and television stations or for mobile telephony, apart from serving the citizens, must also contribute to economic growth and secure important revenues for the public sector at this very critical moment for the national economy.

On his part, the President of EETT informed the President of the Greek Parliament that the electronic communications and postal services markets supervised by the Authority seem to have been less affected by the crisis in 2010 compared to other sectors of the economy. He also mentioned that in this year EETT will conduct important auctions for renewing the licenses for mobile telephony, thus contributing to the development of the market and bringing revenues to the Greek public sector. Furthermore, he stressed that the Government should make the necessary arrangements in order to allocate the digital dividend according to the European policies and practices of the other states. In conclusion, Dr. Kanellos argued that coordination between all the competent

ministries and bodies is required in order to accelerate the transition to terrestrial digital television in view of the European landmark year of 2012 and much earlier than the deadline year of 2015.

The Annual Report is a detailed account of EETT’s multi-faceted regulatory, monitoring and supervisory work on an annual basis. In 2010, the Authority implemented a series of actions for the development of Broadband and undertook significant initiatives for ensuring fair competition in Telecommunications. These actions and initiatives included analyzing Wholesale Interconnection markets and Retail Call markets, approving OTE’s Reference Offers for Wholesale Broadband Access (WBA), assigning Wholesale Leased Lines and amending the Regulation on the Management and Assignment of Numbering Resources of the National Numbering Plan (NNP). In the Radio Spectrum sector, EETT

continued to conduct inspections and to impose sanctions on offenders and grant rights of use for radiofrequencies, while formulating proposals for simplifying the framework of antenna licensing. In the Postal Services sector, EETT focused its actions on developing the postal market and consumer protection, as well as on ensuring the quality of the Universal Service (US). Finally, the Report records the important progress achieved at the level of national and international relations and partnerships, with the greatest success being the assumption of the Vice Presidency of the Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications (BEREC) by the President of EETT.

From left to right: Mr. M. Sakkas, Vice President of ΕΕΤΤ and Dr. L. Kanellos, President of EETT and Vice Chair of BEREC, with Mr. F. Petsalnikos, President of the Greek Parliament.

Annual Report 2010

In recent months, EETT has received complaints about interferences in the UMTS spectrum of mobile telephony operators from DECT 6.0 cordless phones. The DECT 6.0 technology is used in U.S.A. in the 1.9 GHz spectrum. However in Greece but also in the rest of Europe the specific technology is used for mobile telephony services. The use of DECT cordless phones in Europe is legal only in the 1.8 GHz (1880-1900MHz) band. As a result, EETT issued a recommendation to consumers, advising the following:

• Not to operate the DECT 6.0 cordless phones that they have at their disposal.

• Not to purchase these devices from

retailers, the internet (electronic shops such as amazon, ebay etc.) or during their travels abroad. If they have already purchased them, they should immediately interrupt their operation because their use is illegal and punishable by law.

In the context of its competences, EETT is conducting intensive inspections in order to detect the relevant equipment. Furthermore, it has already sent letters to the big commercial and electronics department stores, informing them about the legal frequencies of operation of the DECT 6.0 cordless phones in Greece and in Europe.

Consumer Issues ΚΕΜΠ.

ΚΡΥΟΝΕΡΙΟΥ

175

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EETT Recommendation to Consumers on DECT 6.0 Cordless Phones

EETT’s Recommendation

EETT issued a recommendation to consumers with regard to DECT 6.0 cordless phones, because their use can cause interferences in the UMTS spectrum of mobile telephony operators.

Documents

Communications in High Speed - EETT