Agenda for the meeting.
Minutes of the meeting.
Action Points from the meeting.
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Item - Presented by: (Oftel unless otherwise stated)
1. Introduction and Action Points - Peter Walker
2. Internet Access - David Simpson
3. Calls to Mobile - Vince Affleck
4. Mobile Market Review - Michael Richardson
5. BTCellnet draft Direction - Paul James
6. Special Network Access - Michael Richardson
7. GNP and LLU processes - Rafil Khatib (Cable & Wirless)
9. Forthcoming and Recent Oftel Publications - Peter Walker
10. AOB
1. Peter Walker advised that Oftel would be consulting on proposed changes to the Number Portability Functional Specification early in September.
2. Dave Simpson reported that Oftel was to conduct a market review to assess the competitiveness of accessing the Internet. Oftel referred to this review in its 2000/01 Management Plan. The review would predominantly be considering the dial-up access Internet market, which was not believed to be as competitive as the market for Internet call termination or for accessing Internet service providers. Oftel intended to hold discussions with its Internet forum to further consider the scope of the review. Its first consultative document on the review would be published later in the year.
3. In response to an enquiry from the floor, Peter Walker stated that Oftel had not received the technical report on the appropriate point of interconnect for the FRIACO product.
4. Vince Affleck explained that Oftel was looking at the competitiveness of the mobile call termination market in order to consider whether further controls on mobile termination charges for BTCellnet and Vodafone, which are to expire in March 2002, were required. The controls proposed by the Competition Commission were based on forecasts of market growth considerably below the actual extent of mobile market growth. Click here to view Vince's slides.
5. Oftel intended to establish a working group that would be tasked with constructing an incremental cost model for a mobile network. The working group’s first meeting was scheduled for 21 July 2000. In parallel to this work, a separate working group would be established to consider competitiveness in the mobile call termination market. This working group’s first meeting was scheduled for 28 July 2000. (Parties interested in participating in future meetings of either working group should contact Vince Affleck or Selina Bevis on 020 7634 8819 or 020 7634 8844 respectively.)
6. Oftel intended to publish a ‘green’ consultative document in September 2000. Its final proposals would be set out in a statement to be published in February 2001.
7. BT’s retention for calls to mobiles would be considered in the review of BT’s retail price controls.
8. Michael Richardson outlined the purpose of the mobile market review, and the methodology that Oftel intended to employ to help it consider the competitiveness of the market. The extent and purpose of the review would be set out in a statement to be published in September. Prior to this, Oftel would hold a series of meetings with stakeholders to seek their views on how the review should be defined. Click here to view Michael's slides.
9. Paul James briefly summarised Oftel’s draft Direction under Condition 66 of the mobile PTO licence granted to BTCellnet. Oftel had found that BTCellnet had been unfairly cross-subsidising its tied mobile service providers, and it had required the company to cease such cross-subsidisation.
10. Michael Richardson explained that in July Oftel published its Guidelines on Special Network Access. The RVTD and ICD provided for access to networks at points other than the network termination points offered to the majority of end users. This ‘access’ is called special network access.
11. The Guidelines set out Oftel’s initial view on how it would judge the reasonableness of a request for SNA.
12. Rafil Khatib (Cable & Wireless) explained that a sub-group of the geographic number portability-focus group (GNP) was to be established to consider interaction between portability and local loop unbundling. When the current processes for GNP and (Option 2) unbundling were established neither group had considered what would happen if an end-user had already ported their geographic number or had already opted to have service provided by an alternative supplier. The newly formed sub-group would report to the GNP focus group, which in turn would report to the OPF on the progress of its sub-groups as usual. Click here for Rafil Khatib's slides.
13. On a related issue, Peter Walker reported that Article 3 of the draft regulation on unbundled access to the local loop stated that, ‘Notified operators shall make available to third parties, by 31 December 2000 at latest, unbundled access to the local loop’. The draft regulation placed the emphasis on the provision of unbundling on the notified operator not the NRA.
14. Lisbeth Kristoffersen (MCIWorldCom) reported that the first stage of trials had been completed. OLOs had provided BT with a list of high-level contract issues to consider.
15. Geoff Brighton reported that Oftel had circulated its initial proposals for the ‘retail uplift’ to focus group members on 10 July 2000.
16. Kieran MacDermott (Vodafone) reported that the end-to-end process manual was in the process of being revised. The aim of the revision was to reduce and simplify processes. It was intended to keep a standard template contract for NGNP with the process manual.
17. It had been proposed that transaction based charging should be changed to charges per port and per correspondence, as opposed to just per port, to encourage operators to ensure that NGNO orders were correct. The status quo for timed and dated orders would remain, as operators were permitted to reflect their own costs.
18. Kieran also mentioned the PNP might be absorbed into NGNP.
19. Owen Watson (Torch) reported on behalf of GNP-FG.
Due to cost of implementation, development of Push/Push automation has been shelved by the Commercial Forum, however work is to continue on the development of multi-line automation.
The interaction of GNP and LLU is under consideration – we are keen that the two products complement one another and do not clash in their implementation. The first meeting to discuss this specific issue has now taken place.
There is enthusiasm to investigate the costs and impact of implementing Call Drop Back for GNP, with some initial studies showing that considerable work may be required for certain switch types. The PNOIG TTG has been asked to carry out a full feasibility to establish the benefits and costs associated with implementation.
Terms of Reference have now been agreed following tacit approval by OPF.
Work on the re-drafting of the E2E manual proceeds with agreement now reached by all GNP groups as to the format. Reworking of the process section is well underway and thanks are due to the Operator representatives that have dedicated time, notably C&WC, ntl, Eircom, Thus and Norweb.
A quarterly "heads up" meeting of the four GNP forum heads has been instigated to ensure continuity of work and approach between groups, and to ensure that communication remains open.
We await a new draft of the Functional Specification for Number Portability with interest.
20. Phil Rowden (Vodafone) reported on behalf of MNP-FG. The report was circulated.
21. Karen Hardy (Energis) reported that BT had presented its proposed charges for permanent CPS. The charges proposed were £9.05 (simple transaction), £20,755 (data build) and 0.0111ppm (conveyance).
22. Other CPS issues reported were:
23. Karen also reported that the ICPS hearing was to be held between 24 and 26 July 2000. It was not clear when a decision would be reached. Additionally, Oftel would be advising the DTI on the UK’s response to the Commission’s Article 2.2.6 notice in which it is alleged that the UK failed to meet the Commission’s requirements for CPS implementation.
24. Oftel would be publishing consultative documents on leased lines, universal service and developing numbering administration prior to the next OPF.
25. Oftel presented two items under AOB.
26. John Bean reported that Oftel expected to publish its determinations relating to the disputes between INMS and BTCellnet and the former and Vodafone within the next week. Oftel was to rule that BTCellnet and Vodafone had to provide INMS with the call origination interconnection service on a "retail-minus" basis. Oftel would also be setting the charges. Other interested parties could also seek call origination from BTCellnet and Vodafone.
27. Nigel Humberston summarised ongoing work vis-à-vis the placement of prostitutes’ cards in public call boxes (PCBs). The Home Office published a consultation document in May 1999, which asked whether an offence should be created to deter card placements and sought comments on the potential use of call barring. Respondents generally looked favourably on both proposals. On 9 June 2000, the Home Office announced that it would move forward on the proposed legislative change and Oftel would pursue the potential use of call barring.
28. Oftel supported the introduction of limited call barring from affected PCBs and other PCBs in close proximity to those affected, if in conjunction with the proposed legislative moves by the Home Office. Oftel would be seeking meetings with key stakeholders, and would work with the industry to develop a code of practice on call barring.
29. In response to a request by the OLO Group, Graham Lamb (BT) gave a brief overview of the reorganisation of BT. BT emphasised that the reorganisation was commercially driven.
| No. | Description | Status | Owner |
| 5/3 | Comments on GNP’s revised terms of reference should be
sent to Owen Watson by 30 June 2000. Reply: The revised terms of reference have been adopted. No comments were received. |
Closed. | N/a |
| 3/3 | Oftel will specify portability rules when remote call forwarding is in use when it consults on proposed changes to the Number Portability Functional Specification. | Outstanding. | Oftel |
| 12/1 (99) |
Operators that have still to do so are urged to apply for Annex II status. Queries and applications should be sent to Keith Bowman at Oftel (phone: 0171 634 8914 e-mail: annexII@oftel.gov.uk). | Ongoing. | Operators |
| 4/4 (98) | BT will provide periodic updates on its proposals to increase the number of available chargebands. | Ongoing. | BT |
| 12/3 (97) |
Oftel will provide periodic updates on the latest EU Directives and briefings on forthcoming licensing issues. | Ongoing. | Oftel |
