Product cycle i processes in telecommunications. Changing the maintenance philosophy to suit the management concept. Philosophies of network and service maintenance. The management concept. Principles of telecommunication management. Telecommunication Management Network (TMN). Management tools. Management protocols. Management platforms ITU-T recommendations of M series. Applying management concepts in SDH, ATM and UTMS networks. Service management. Defining business processes of a telecom operator or a service provider. Business process panning using enhanced Telecom Operation Map (e-TOM). The role of processes and sub-processes in re-engineering of business processes of a telecom operator. Political, regulatory and technical aspects of telecommunications. Actors in the telecommunication sector. Effects of information and communication technologies. Global processes - globalization, liberalization, privatization and deregulation. International organizations and standards in telecommunication network management. Regulation in the telecommunication sector. Regulatory bodies. EU regulatory framework. Telecommunication market analysis. Relevant markets. Significant market power operators. Ex-ante and ex-post regulation. Regulatory strategies for prices of telecommunication services. User protection. Unbundling network elements. Interconnection points. Radio-frequency spectrum management. Spectrum allocation plans allotment plans and assignment plans. Spectrum monitoring and inspection. Licensing and authorization of telecom services. Numeration plans. Number porting service. Mandatory universal service provision.