Biography: Regulatory Communications

Colin Long is an independent legal and regulatory consultant as well as being of counsel to, and previously a partner and head of the telecommunications practice at, the UK law firm Olswang. In a law career so far spanning several decades, more than half of which have seen his involvement in advising some of the best-known companies in the telecommunications sector, he has guided such companies in a variety of high-profile deals related to fixed, mobile and satellite-based services.

Colin's work is broad and encompasses regulation and competition law, as well as commercial and corporate transactions, in the communications, IT and high-tech sectors. His experience and insight into the industry mean that he is regularly sought after for advice on critical projects, transactions and disputes: recent experiences include advising on network and other telecom outsourcings; network sharing; mobile virtual network transactions; a technology transfer project for a UK mobile operator; a multimillion-dollar financing of a fixed line operator, and advising on the multi-jurisdictional corporate and regulatory aspects of various pan-European acquisitions and reorganisations.

He has also advised the European Commission on a mobile satellite services project; various UK public operators on challenges and appeals of decisions by the UK communications regulatory authority, OFCOM, particularly concerning access issues; and on unbundling, interconnnect, and competition law matters and disputes (including litigation). Colin is the author of the leading textbook Global Telecommunications Law and Practice (Sweet and Maxwell), a guest speaker at numerous conferences and a frequent writer of articles in the telecoms press. He also has a blog at http://telecommentator.blogspot.com/.

Colin is recommended in Chambers 2009 legal directory as the 'star' UK lawyer in telecommunications.