International Telecommunications

Miller & Van Eaton is a law firm of recognized international experience in the operation and regulation of telecommunications systems, the restructuring and liberalization of telecommunications sectors, and the privatization of government-owned providers of telecommunications services. The firm has served as a legal consultant to foreign governments, international financial institutions, and foreign investment counseling firms on all facets of telecommunications law and policy. This international telecommunications experience is enhanced by the firm’s foreign language capability, including Portuguese, Spanish, French and German.

Highlights of Miller & Van Eaton’s International Experience

Africa. Under a World Bank contract, the firm’s attorneys served as an outside reviewer of a major comparative study of telecommunications sector reform in Africa in 1993.

Argentina. From 1988 through 1992, Miller & Van Eaton attorneys provided consulting services to the World Bank in connection with the privatization of ENTEL -- the largest and most complicated telecommunications sector restructuring and telephone company privatization in Latin America to date. The firm analyzed the issues presented by the first proposed sale of ENTEL to Telefónica, assisted in the competitive bid process and sale of ENTEL in October 1990, and participated in efforts to reform the Argentine regulatory agency. Miller & Van Eaton was involved in every aspect of the ENTEL privatization process -- preparing ENTEL for sale, drafting the offering documents, defining the scope and powers of the regulatory entity to oversee the newly privatized company, negotiating the final contracts of sale, and preparing for its closing. The firm has also served as a consultant to the World Bank in assessing and reenergizing the post-privatization regulatory structure.

Bahamas. Under an InterAmerican Development Bank contract, in 1993, the firm’s attorneys advised the Bahamian government on the need for telecommunications sector reform and identified the main policy issues confronting a national telecommunications plan.

Bolivia. In 1992, under a contract from the World Bank, the firm’s attorneys reviewed and critiqued the principal consultant's analysis and legislative draft to implement sectoral restructuring.

Brazil. In 1991, under a World Bank contract, the firm’s attorneys worked with senior officials in the Brazilian Ministry of Communications to define the scope of regulations permitting value-added services and to identify the necessary access tariff environment to assure appropriate intercompany financial arrangements.

China. The firm’s attorneys participated as a member of a World Bank Mission advising the Chinese Ministry on telecommunications and regulatory methodology and techniques in 1993.

Czech Republic. Through a World Bank contract, Miller & Van Eaton attorneys advised officials of the national telephone enterprise in connection with the preparation of a bid for cellular franchises and for the construction and operation of an intercity fiber optic and digital telephone network. The firm's services included the preparation of the Request for Proposals for the country. The attorneys also assisted the government informally on questions involving a paging joint venture contract. In May 1991, a member of the firm participated in the World Bank's Sector Mission to Czechoslovakia analyzing the prospects for greater reform and liberalization.

Ecuador. Under a direct contract with the government, the firm’s attorneys provided advice from 1992 to 1993, with respect to restructuring and privatizing Ecuador's telecommunications sector. The firm analyzed the existing special telecommunications law and recommended the necessary amendments to remove obstacles to sectoral restructuring and privatization.

El Salvador. From 1992 to 1995, through an InterAmerican Development Bank contract and a direct contract with the Salvadoran Ministry of Planning, the firm’s attorneys advised the Salvadoran Ministry of Planning in connection with the formulation and implementation of a telecommunications sector reform plan through the year 2000.

Guatemala. Under an IDB contract the firm’s attorneys participated in 1993 through 1994 as part of a team appraising the telecom sector and formulating recommendations for needed changes.

Honduras. In 1998, under a direct contract with Honduras’ Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones ("CONATEL"), the firm’s attorneys and an economic consulting firm drafted regulations for nine classes of telecommunications services. In addition, the firms conducted fourteen (14) seminars for CONATEL Commissioners and staff concerning the economic and legal aspects of regulation and changes in telecommunications technology. The InterAmerican Development Bank provided the funding for this project. In 2001, the firm again assisted CONATEL in Honduras. The firm prepared proposed interconnection regulations for the telecommunications sector, draft regulations governing paging operators, and a draft of broadcasting licensing regulations.

Hungary. In 1993, at the request of the World Bank staff, the firm’s attorneys organized a two-week tour of the United States for a team of ten senior officials from the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Water Management, designed to give the officials an understanding of U.S. federal and state level regulation and policy toward telephone service, prices, and competition. Subsequently, the firm’s attorneys prepared new regulations for the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Water Management to allow access charges and interconnection among local telephone companies to promote rural development of the telephone network and to implement competitive entry. The firm’s attorneys also prepared regulations for the privitization of MATAV, the national telephone company.

India. Under a World Bank contract, the firm’s attorneys critiqued the government’s plan for issuing concessions to local regional telephone companies.

Indonesia. Under World Bank grants, the firm’s attorneys provided the Indonesian government with two separate analyses of the structure and regulation of value-added and cellular mobile services. In April 1992, the firm provided comments to the Ministry of Communications alerting it to specific problems associated with the pending proposal for a government/private sector cellular joint venture.

Mexico. The firm’s attorneys assisted the government of Mexico in developing radio spectrum allocation policies and analyzing the important problems of interconnection as the country moved toward deregulation and open competition. These services were funded through World Bank contracts.

Pakistan. In 1992, under a contract from the World Bank, the firm’s attorneys reviewed and critiqued draft legislation prepared by another consultant for the Pakistani government to implement privatization and sectoral restructuring.

Panama. From 1991 through 1992, through an InterAmerican Development Bank ("IDB") contract, the firm’s attorneys aided the government of Panama in planning and initiating its telecommunications sector restructuring and privatization. The attorneys’ responsibilities included consulting on the selection of economic advisers, analyzing the relevant legal problems, critiquing and refining economic and sector analyses, and coordinating information with the World Bank, the IDB and Panama's Ministerio de Planificación y Política Económica ("MIPPE"). Firm attorneys also briefed the various Panamanian political parties on the scope and possibilities of sector reform, advised several levels of the IDB staff on Panama's needs for consulting support in its undertakings, developed a suggested work flow program for MIPPE to consider, participated in key decisions shaping MIPPE's recommendations to the President and Cabinet, and wrote the legal workplan to carry through privatization of INTEL.

Peru. The firm’s attorneys have advised the privatized operators in Peru on interconnection policies.

Poland. Through a World Bank contract, the firm’s attorneys assisted Poland in identifying and developing the issues to accomplish the bidding of cellular mobile franchises. In 1990, the attorneys worked for two weeks, together with DETECON, to define the terms and conditions for the Polish joint venture solicitation in cellular services. From April 1991 through the Summer, 1994, the attorneys participated as a member of the World Bank's various Sector Missions to Poland. The assigned task within the missions was to analyze the evolving legal and regulatory telecommunications framework under consideration in the parliament and to suggest appropriate ideas to strengthen the proposed reforms.

Romania. Since 1996, the firm has represented Logic Telecom S.A., a major Romanian investor in Mobifon, the Romanian GSM cellular licensee.

Sri Lanka. In 1990, the firm’s attorneys assisted the World Bank in presenting comments on Sri Lanka's telecommunications sector reform legislation.

Thailand. The firm’s attorneys participated as members of a World Bank Mission to advise the Thai Ministry of Finance on telecommunications sector restructuring and regulation from 1993 through 1994.

Turkey. In 1995, the firm’s attorneys were retained under a contract with the Turkish Privatization Administration to assist the government in preparing for the negotiation of the value of the two GSM licenses the government was preparing to issue to the two GSM cellular telephone companies operating in the country. Currently, the firm represents the Reform Advisory Group, an investment counseling firm in Istanbul on a range of telecommunications issues.

Venezuela. In 1990, the firm’s attorneys advised the staff of CORDIPLAN and Fondo de Inversiones on the issues and processes to be considered as Venezuela approached the restructuring of its telecommunications sector. The attorneys participated in two World Bank missions to Venezuela to assist CORDIPLAN in organizing and defining the scope of Venezuela's privatization project. During the two missions, a plan for consulting services was developed and the necessary level of multilateral funding to support the effort was defined.