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| Minutes
- DQ Implementation Working Group #20 |
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Oftel
50 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7JJ
5 June 2003
Attendees
Company Participant
BT Directories Ian Watson
BT Regulation Sarah Jefferson
BT Wholesale Beatrice Osborn
Cable and Wireless James Waterworth
Cable and Wireless John Bailey
Cable and Wireless Philip Cheal
Centrica Toby Higho
Conduit Jonathan Wilson
Conduit Tom Hickey
Context Connect Les Oliver
DQ-UK Isabel Magan
DQ-UK Murray McPherson
I-CD Keith Marsden
Kingston Nancy Cox
MCI Richard Anderson
NTL Sara-Jane Amey
NTL Shaun Corber
O2 Steve Evans
Oftel Alex Campbell
Oftel Caroline Wallace
Share Comms Steve Warner
Telewest Andrew Wileman
The Number Nik Hole
The Number Philip Burton
Vodafone Andrew Gorton
Yell Malcolm Green
Yell John Gray
118866 Ltd Michael Kalina
Apologies
Babel Gareth Owen
Centrica Nick Turley
ICSTIS Paul Whiting
Kingston Lesa Green
Simunix John Lewis
118866 Ltd Dirk Amtsberg
1. Introductions
The significant increase in attendance was noted post the Oftel statement
on 192
2. Minutes of Previous Meeting
The following amendments were needed:
Sara-Jane Amey, NTL, section 2 - reference to alleged BT dominance
in directory supply: remove "to support its DQ business";
section 7, action point 19.3: DQSPs wishing to initiate changes to
118 prices should follow existing processes used by network operators
and not use the numbering contacts email list.
Beatrice Osborn, BT, section 11, any other business: sentence suggesting
a need for continued use of PRS call barring to bar 118 numbers. Add
"when the PRS barring will be removed".
3. Review of Action Points
AP Responsible Description Status
16.6 Oftel Set up presentation by BT Directory Solutions about Data
Protection Ongoing
17.5 Dirk Amtsberg Collate and circulate feedback from consumer sub-group
re phase 2 billing. Ongoing
This has been taken up in the DQ Consumer Group
19.1 All Parties interested in joining DAL to contact Tom Hickey Ongoing
19.2 All Comment on proposed wording for consumers in the event of
queries about DQ entry amendments Discharged
Oftel had had 4 comments, and circulated updated wording.
See new action 20.1 below.
19.3 Network Operators Brief number activation colleagues about how
118 price change notifications should be handled Discharged
19.4 Network Operators Provide information on their pricing, change
activities, requirements, timescales to Oftel Discharged
See comments from ntl below.
19.5 Oftel (CW) Awareness research figures to be included in the minutes
and updated going forward Ongoing
19.6 Oftel (CW) Oftel to provide IW with dates of ad hoc consumer
awareness research to add to the project plan Discharged
NAP 20.1: Sarah Jefferson (BT) to consider and propose a definition
of "basic" for the purpose of the statement to customers
about their DQ entries.
Sara-Jane Amey (ntl) reported that for changes to 118 prices on the
ntl network, the process for doing this would be covered in the contract
between ntl and any directly-connected DQSP. Outside these circumstances,
ntl would expect the OCCN process to be followed by hosting network
operators. Ntl would not expect the numbering contacts email notification
list to be used.
Malcolm Green (Yell) asked how long this would take. S-J A said that
this would take 60 days. Beatrice Osborn (BT) said that for BT, it
would take 85 working days for a new price point and 56 working days
for an existing price point.
4. Telephone Helpline Association
Presentation By Kathy Mulville; handout provided.
The THA wants to ensure that consumers can find details of relevant
helplines - 46% of people find THA details through directories. But
it is often difficult to find the right helpline with simple name
based searches. Ms Mulville hoped that DQ providers would provide
details of telephone helplines in a way that most facilitated callers
finding the numbers they required. DQSPs should also consider the
strong business case for handling these calls well, as this would
give callers a positive experience and encourage them to use that
118 service in future. DQ operators could use the free database provided
on www.helplines.org.uk. The distressed state of many of those looking
for telephone helpline numbers was underlined. THA also offers training
for handling such callers.
There was a discussion about onward call connection, and the fact
that the number to which a call was onward connected would not appear
on the bill. Should a DQSP pass this information on if asked by the
bill payer subsequently? One DQSP reported that there was no legal
obligation in its view to do so. KM noted that some callers might
actually like the anonymity of this sort of service. CW (Oftel) noted
that Oftel has given very clear warnings about onward connection in
the Oftel DQ Consumer Guide, particularly noting that it might be
cheaper to hang up and redial.
PC (C&W) noted that some organisations do not think through their
directory entries as carefully as they might, and sometimes forget
to have them updated in the event that they offer new services. KM
suggested this was something THA could highlight via its newsletter.
5. Billing and Interconnection, Phase II sub-group
No further meetings had taken place.
6. Consumer issues Sub-Group
The group had shown great interest in call volumes at the last meeting
on 13th May. Some modifications had been made to the Oftel Consumer
Guide. The group was very keen to be consulted on the implementation
of the network messaging proposal. Minutes of the last meeting to
be made available by Tom Hickey. The next meeting was at 11am on Tuesday
15 July.
7. Network Messages at the End of Parallel Running
Oftel had just published its statement on the future use of the legacy
DQ numbers. CW summarised the outcome.
It was confirmed that parallel running would end just after midnight
on the evening of 23 August 2003 - expressed as 12.01am on 24 August
2003 in the statement. The network message behind 192 would run until
20 June 2004. The 192/153 network message would have to refer to a
freephone number. The message on this freephone number would have
to provide fair and impartial access to any service provider which
wished to advertise its number.
It was agreed that apart from BT and Kingston network operators did
have the option of making calls to 192 go to number unobtainable at
any time. BT and Kingston also believe that they have this option
although Oftel disputed this.
A number of typographical corrections were needed to the Oftel statement
on the messaging solution. Oftel acknowledged these and said it would
update the statement.
Thus pointed out that for CPS customers, the freephone message might
give out 118 numbers that were not available from the CPS operator,
or the prices might be incorrect. CW noted that the availability problem
could be minimised if CPS operators opened up as full a range of 118
numbers as possible. The pricing issue could be dealt with by some
careful wording on the freephone message to highlight the fact that
prices given were correct if the customer's network operator was also
their service provider.
Beatrice Osborn provided details of DQ calls on BT's network. BT had
sampled one in 300 calls handled by its System X exchanges, of which
there were about 500 spread across the country, amounting to about
three quarters of all BT exchanges. BT had analysed this data for
calls to 192, 153 and 118XXX numbers.
The percentages of DQ calls to 118XXX numbers were as follows:
Mondays:
6 May 12.4%
12 May 11.8%
19 May 12.5%
27 May 14.3%
2 June 17.1%
Weekends
3 May 14.4%
10 May 14.8%
17 May 14.8%
24 May 15.5%
31 May 16.4%
8. Directory Affairs Limited (DAL)
Presentation by Isabel Magan
Handouts were provided. The presentation, full details of the proposal,
the Articles of Association etc can be found on the DAL website: www.directoryaffairs.com
The following issues were discussed amongst others:
· The process that had been followed for selecting Broadsystem
as the network messaging provider.
· The fact that only 118 numbers available from a particular
network would be announced on the freephone message.
· The number of freephone numbers that would be available to
each network operator (in general 2, one for NDQ and one for IDQ,
but additional freephone numbers would be made available where necessary
eg for dealing with calls from BT public payphones).
NAP 20.2: CW(Oftel) to distribute an electronic version of the DAL
presentation.
NAP 20.3: DAL to distribute details of their network messaging workshop
to be held on 13 June.
It was noted that DAL's solution would allocate network messages to
DQSPs on a global basis, not on a network-by-network basis (ie a DQSP
could not choose to have its number promoted only on some networks
but not others. A DQSP's number would be promoted on all networks
on which it was available). It was noted that this would cause some
problems for some DQSPs marketing strategies. Oftel noted that network
operators for whom this was a problem could implement their own network
messaging solution.
Oftel very much encouraged network operators to seriously consider
DAL's solution. IW(BT) asked whether the DQSP or the network operator
would provide pricing information to DAL. Oftel envisaged that network
operators would wish to provide pricing information for 118 DQ services
to DAL if they wished to use the DAL messaging solution, as it would
be likely to be easier and more accurate if network operators gave
this information.
IW asked whether the price that would be given on the freephone message
(in order to meet ICSTIS requirements) would be the BT price or would
be the price on the particular network operator's network? CW responded
that it would be best if the pricing was specific to the network operator,
with some text to clarify that if a reseller, CPSO or MVNO were used,
the prices might be different).
The basis of the calculation of the number of operator positions required
to handle calls was discussed. IM confirmed that this was the Erlang
C formula, with an assumption (probably an over-estimate) that every
call to the freephone message would generate a call to the DQSP's
call centre. It was noted that this did not take into account calls
driven into the call centre as a result of eg advertising campaigns.
The use of auditors to verify applications was discussed. Some DQSPs
asked that more time be allowed for corrections to applications.
NAP 20.4: DAL to consider a longer period of time for corrections
to applications to participate in solution.
BT and Kingston expressed concerns about whether they could get board
clearance to participate in DAL in the available time. BT said that
the use of the term 'loan' in the DAL rules would be particularly
problematic.
NAP 20.5: DAL to remove reference to "loan" from allocation
rules.
The costs of participating in the DAL solution were discussed. Thus
asked if Thus could use one of its own 0800 numbers which could be
translated to the geographic number of Broadsystem's choice?
NH responded that this might be possible, but would depend on existing
arrangements between Broadsystem and C&W.
NAP 20.6: DAL to email address of DAL directors to IWG
NAP 20.7: DAL to speak to ICSTIS re 0800 message content
NAP 20.8: DAL (and any network operators implementing their own solution)
to provide Oftel with draft text of 0800 message for Oftel to send
to the DQ Consumer Group.
9. Review of Project Plan/key Milestones
A number of changes were agreed to the project plan version 2.19.1.
The project plan would be updated by Ian Watson of BT and recirculated
by Oftel.
Two important milestones were discussed:
NAP 20.9 : DQSPs to apply for inclusion in the Directory Affairs Ltd
(DAL) messaging solution by Tuesday 24th June.
[Post meeting note: the date for DQSPs to have applied to DAL for
the first round of message allocations has subsequently been put back
to 7th July]
NAP 20.10: Network operators to inform DQ-IWG and Oftel about whether:
a) they will be providing a network message on 192
b) if so, whether they will provide a DAL freephone number on their
192 message or another freephone number
c) if providing another freephone number, then information about how
DQSPs can participate in the freephone service
by Friday 4th July.
Concerns were expressed that DQSPs will have to apply for inclusion
in the DAL messaging solution before knowing which network operators
will be using the DAL solution. CW noted however that the allocation
rules proposed by DAL mean that DQSPs are allocated a certain proportion
of messages rather than an absolute number of messages, so this would
allow for the fact that some network operators may choose to use DAL
whilst others do not.
If network operators wanted to use a non-DAL freephone number, Oftel
offered to look at network operators' plans and provide some guidance
about what might be acceptable. If network operators wanted Oftel
to do this, network operators would have to explain their plans to
Oftel by close 26th June.
10. Any other business
It was noted that BT had voluntarily undertaken to end printing/distribution
of the BT Phone Book with 118500 on the cover. Clarification of the
date this would take effect was requested.
NAP 20.11: CW(Oftel) to confirm dates that BT had undertaken to end
printing/distribution of the BT Phone Book with 118500 on the cover.
11. Action Point Review
AP Responsible Description Status
20.1 Sarah Jefferson, BT Consider and propose the definition of "basic"
for the purpose of the statement to customers about their DQ entries
New Action point
20.2 CW (Oftel) Distribute electronic version of the DAL presentation
New Action Point
20.3 DAL To distribute details of workshop to be held on 13 June New
Action Point
20.4 DAL To consider allowing a longer period of time for corrections
to applications to participate in solution
20.5 DAL Remove reference to "loan" from allocation rules
New Action Point
20.6 DAL Email address of DAL Directors to IWG New Action Point
20.7 DAL Speak to ICSTIS re 0800 message content New Action Point
20.8 DAL
Network operators Provide Oftel with draft text of 0800 message for
Oftel to sent to the DQ Consumer Group New Action point
20.9 DQSPs To apply for inclusion in the Directory Affairs Ltd (DAL)
messaging solution by Tuesday 24th June. New Action Point
20.10 Network operators To inform DQ-IWG and Oftel about whether:
a) they will be providing a network message on 192
b) if so, whether they will provide a DAL freephone number on their
192 message or another freephone number
c) if providing another freephone number, then information about how
DQSPs can participate in the freephone service
by Friday 4th July. New Action Point
20.11 CW(Oftel) To confirm dates that BT had undertaken to end printing/distribution
of the BT Phone Book with 118500 on the cover New Action Point
12. Next Meetings
Wed 2 July, 11am, Oftel
Wed 13 August, 11am, Oftel
Tuesday Sept 16th 1pm, Oftel
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