Agenda
- Introduction
- Presentation
by OVUM
- Question
& answer session
- Next Step
Panel
Members
Chairman
Alan
Bell Director
of Strategy and Forecasting
Secretary to the meeting Christine
Thompson Oftel Numbering Officer
OVUM Representative David
Lewin
OVUM Representative Claire
Milne
Minutes
of meeting
- The Chairman
welcomed the attendees who represented operators and service providers.
He introduced the
OVUM representatives, Claire Milne (CM) and David Lewin (DL),
and outlined the structure of the workshop. He explained that
OVUM would present their findings from the CBA, and would be content
to take questions or comments following the presentation.
- CM thanked
the industry for providing OVUM with information required in undertaking
the CBA.
- CM explained
that access codes were scarce given their limited supply, and
that the availability of new access codes, particularly Type B
codes, was already nearing exhaustion. As a consequence, there
was a need to consider ways of increasing the current supply of
access codes. The CBA included three options for change, with
each being measured against a theoretical ‘perfect solution’
in order to arrive at the least cost method of increasing the
supply of access codes. [Click here to
view the slides].
- DL explained
that, of the three options considered, the CBA and sensitivity
analysis indicated that Option 1 (which involved redesignating
unused 3-digit type A codes and lightly used Type C codes as Type
B codes) would offer the least cost option for the UK economy.
However, he also indicated that consideration should be given
as to whether Option 1 should be implemented in one go or on a
phased basis. He argued that the Net Present Cost (NPC) of Option
1 indicated that a phased approach, in which only unused A codes
would be initially converted to 5-digit B codes, would afford
a better solution. In discussion , the following main points
were made:
- consideration
should be given to allocating numbers on a regional basis
as is the case in a number of European countries. However,
OVUM explained that this consideration was not within the
terms of its reference. Moreover, they indicated that this
option operators working on a national basis or with future
aspirations of becoming a national operator may have reservations
about using regionally restricted numbers. However, Type C
codes were already regionally based;
- whether
the current division of access codes into three types was
necessarily the best method of allocating access codes, or
whether there was a case for considering a fourth Type (Type
D);
- concern
was expressed that the NPC of Option 2 may have been distorted,
both in terms of CPE changes (as affecting service providers)
and dialling extra digits (as affecting users) being overstated.
In particular, it was argued that the costs associated in
issuing new smart boxes and reprogramming PBXs to autodial
the new B codes appeared to be unrealistic. It was also argued
that Option 2 had been overstated given that there was little
indirect access utilisation at the moment;
- It was
argued that the CBA should be solely focussing on the interests
of consumer alone, rather than the UK economy as a whole;
- DL explained
that while the primary objective of the CBA had been to consider
ways of increasing Type B codes,OVUM had also been asked to
consider whether there was an economic case for charging for
access codes. However, he stated that that this was only an
initial economic analysis, and would form part of the larger
study on numbering issues currently being
undertaken by Oftel, including charging for numbers.
- DL indicated
that the results of the CBA concluded that while there was an
argument for charging for B codes, this was not the case
for A and C codes. In particular, it was argued, charging for
B codes, would help deter frivolous or premature applications
as well as encourage service providers with unused or little used
B codes to return them for reissue.
- Those present
expressed concern in relation to the status of the recommendations
on charging in the CBA, and argued that other methods
of rationing Type B codes in addition to charging should be considered.
- Summing up,
the Chairman thanked those present for attending. He explained
that OVUM would be reviewing the CBA in the light of comments
expressed at the workshop, and would be submitting a final version
to Oftel in the near
future. The Chairman indicated that Oftel would be undertaking
a consultation exercise on methods of increasing the supply of
access codes early in the new year, with the objective of issuing
a statement towards the end of 2000.
Background
Document
Please click
here for final draft of Access Code CBA.
[Return
to 'Access Code Workshop' page]
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