In the foreword to the first edition of Communications: Regulation and Outsourcing Global Guide, I want to highlight the tremendous year of challenge and change for the communications industry in general.

We have seen the adoption of the Single Digital Market Strategy for Europe in May this year, the lively (and continuing debate) around Net Neutrality, the move towards General Data Protection Regulation and a high degree of market consolidation and convergence between key players in the industry. Outsourcing too has seen change and development in the sector, with increasing competition by non-traditional suppliers of traditional telecoms services to the market, that is, unified communication services and the increase in multi-sourcing by providers to give customers competitive services. All this is leaning towards more integrated offerings. We also witnessed the rise of Network outsourcing and Service outsourcing by operators with the aim to minimise infrastructure costs and capitalise on expertise and efficiencies. Hopefully this will foster investment in innovative projects focused on revenue generation.

All of this has led to a moving landscape for operators, investors, regulators and consumers alike; with consumers likely to be the greatest beneficiaries.

Against this exciting backdrop of change, on behalf of Pinsent Masons, I am personally delighted to have been invited by Thomson Reuters to be this year’s co-editor of the first edition of the Communications: Regulation and Outsourcing Global Guide.

Our approach to this year’s publication has been to focus on the key modes of communication delivery in each of the jurisdictions we have selected, rather than casting our review too widely. A basic premise of this publication is the acknowledgement that "communications" is no longer simply covered by referring to traditional "telecommunications". The word simply fails to cover what the world now sees as relevant to communication services. We must now address digitisation, the Internet of Things, new and disruptive methods of communication and the pace of technology driving change and regulation.

The purpose of this collaboration with Thomson Reuters and all who have contributed to it is to guide the uninitiated through the issues and legal frameworks that regulate the communications industry and outsourcing of communications. We do not propose to answer all the questions a reader may have, but to provide a focused guide on the regulatory and legal issues relevant to the communications and outsourcing sectors globally, highlighting the nuanced approaches and considerations to each individual market.

A first edition publication such as this must have contributions by worthy, international and experienced specialists and thought-leaders in the area of global communications. The content and ideas must reflect a global perspective of matters, and must be of quality and consistency expected by each of us and our peers. We believe that we have managed to bring together a select and exceptional number of experts in their particular area of expertise from across 22 jurisdictions spanning Asia, Europe, the United States and the Middle East.

I have been ably assisted by Anthony Fielding, one of our regulatory telecom experts, for drafting the standard format applied to all jurisdictions for this publication, and also ensuring that timely and sometimes unrealistic deadlines were met.

I would also like to thank Eduardo Martínez-Rivero, head of the Antitrust Telecoms unit at the DG Competition of the European Commission for his inspiring introduction. Eduardo has a unique insight into the challenges of the communications industry, and has agreed to share it with us.

I am most thankful for the contributions of all to this guide, many of them friends and colleagues of mine, noting that they each have dedicated much time and effort to make this first edition of Communications: Regulation and Outsourcing Global Guide, a notable and useful inter-jurisdictional online resource to users.

I am grateful, as ever, for the enormous support we have received from all those at Thomson Reuters, including Emily Kyriacou, Katie Burrington, and Nicola Pender.

Last but not least, I would like to thank all my family for endless encouragement, with a special mention to my husband Frédéric and my two wonderful kids Raphael and Salomé. Without their support and faith in me, I would not be the woman I am today.

The challenge for specialist advisers, including lawyers, in the communications market is staying up to date with changes to laws, regulations, guidelines and policies. This is not always easy, but we hope that the bringing together of expert contributors and publishing this first edition of Communications: Regulation and Outsourcing Global Guide, will assist us all in gaining a better understanding of the communication and outsourcing sectors globally and the frameworks that underpin them.

London, December 2015