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01|03|07

Minutes of an extraordinary meeting of the Ofcom Advisory Committee for NI 15 November 2006 – Ofcom Northern Ireland, Landmark House, Belfast

Members present:

Wallace Ewart (Chairman)

Sinead Boyle

Carol Burrows

Glyn Roberts

Leslie Orr

Apologies:

David Elliot

Brian Collins

Gerard Parr

Jane Morrice

Michael McKernan

Una Murphy

Kevin McLaughlin – Consumer Panel Member for NI

Paul Moore – Content Board Member for NI

In attendance:

Clive Carter Ofcom

Barnaby Simpson Ofcom

Denis Wolinski Ofcom, Northern Ireland

Joanne McMullan Ofcom, Northern Ireland

Jonathan Rose Ofcom, Northern Ireland

Mark McLaughlin Ofcom, Northern Ireland

1. Welcome

Wallace Ewart welcomed all present to the meeting of the Ofcom Advisory Committee for Northern Ireland.

2.0 The Mobile Review

2.1 Barnaby Simpson and Clive Carter presented an overview of the work they have been conducting on the Mobile Review. The project was designed to improve Ofcom’s understanding of how the mobile sector operates, identify any potential competition and consumer issues and develop a strategic approach to regulation within the sector similar to that which has been developed for other telecoms markets.

The team was very keen to hear the views of members on the scope of the project, the analysis conducted to date in relation to the possible benefits of extended coverage and on the options and mechanisms identified in the analysis.

2.2 Members commented that perhaps the dependence on mobiles was a generational issue and that if mobile usage continued to rise as opposed to fixed lines and dependence on mobile alone continued to grow then coverage issues in relation to both at home/work and on the move will become increasingly important. Members discussed what a fixed line offers as opposed to a mobile and whether or not there should be a USO (universal service obligation) for broadband and mobile.

2.3 Members commented that from a consumer perspective it was all about the services, not the technology, and increasingly people expected better quality of service – ‘always on, always available’. But members also appreciated the need for regulatory balance and to think through the implications of intervention; if you mandated greater coverage obligations you might disincentivise operator deployments and if you left them alone you might have no coverage at all.

2.4 Members also discussed the viability of providing roll-out in blackspots out of public funds and having mobile network operators pay to use them. They concluded that there was a definite need for partnership between government and mobile network operators. Alternatively perhaps operators could be obliged to cover blackspots to ensure coverage in emergencies but would be entitled to claim back a reasonable fee for 999 calls, especially those that were made in the absence of any real emergency. The view was put that people who had been in real emergencies would prefer to pay for coverage than have no coverage.

2.5 On the issue of 3G roll-out and whether or not it would reach the mandated levels of coverage, never mind universal coverage, it was suggested that given the huge change that had taken place in the market and the drop in value of the spectrum there might be a case for considering public compensation for the operators.

2.6 With regard to inadvertent mobile roaming the importance of this issue in Northern Ireland was raised. There was praise for the work to date undertaken by the ComReg/Ofcom Joint Working Group in encouraging Mobile Network Operators to eliminate inadvertent mobile roaming. The fact that most people in Northern Ireland had probably been affected by roaming at some stage was discussed. The importance of operators doing enough to let consumers in Northern Ireland know about the new tariffs that had been introduced, by O2 and T-Mobile in particular, was highlighted. Introducing tariffs and then not publicising them seemed odd. Consumer information was poor; as media literacy levels in NI had been shown to be low in Ofcom’s own research this was a particularly important issue.

Members also commented on the impact of roaming upon the Northern Ireland economy, especially the costs for small businesses.

Members also raised the issue of the erection of masts and questioned whether there had ever been any research into this issue in NI. Planning permission was harder in NI and health concerns were widespread; operators had been prevented from erecting masts in some communities. Members agreed, whether through public intervention or regulation, that there should be a stronger sense of partnership between the communication providers and consumers to ensure a higher level of provision for everyone.

In terms of overall mobile coverage there seemed to be adequate coverage in general, although there were areas of low population in the West with only one operator and areas along the border with no coverage or coverage only from a network across the border.

2.71 There was the general issue in NI of how comfortable people were with newer technology. Members commented that information for consumers was crucial as it would enable them to make an informed decision with regard to choice of providers and the coverage offered.

2.72 There was also the problem of being able to attract new investment if coverage of new services was not as good as in other parts of the UK.

2.8 Members suggested that media literacy and a greater level of understanding of services was central.

2.9 Barnaby Simpson thanked the members for their contribution to the discussion.

3.0 Any Other Business

3.1 There was no other business.

3.2 The date of the next meeting is Tuesday 12 th December at Landmark House.

 

 

 

 

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