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 - Chris Kenny
2. Indirect Access for Mobiles - Chris Handley
3. Briefing on Oftel's Essential Requirements Project - Caroline Wallace
4. Open Access to Communications Networks -Anil Patel
5. Access Codes - Gavin Daykin
6. Interconnect Link Payment -Darren Kilburn (BT)
8. Forthcoming and Recent Oftel Publications - Chris Kenny
9. AOB
1. Chris Kenny stated that Oftel would, as usual, circulate a report on outstanding and new action points within forty-eight hours.
2. Chris Handley reported that Oftel published the interim charge determinations for the disputes between INMS and BTCellnet and the former and Vodafone on 18 May 2000. Oftel proceeded to publish the interim charge determinations because neither of the two disputes had been resolved through commercial negotiations. Oftel would publish final charge determinations within two months and the final charges included in those determinations would be applied retrospectively. (Click here for Chris' slides).
3. In response to a question from the floor, Chris explained that the request for indirect access from mobiles was a valid request under the Interconnection Directive. Other interested parties could proceed to ask for indirect access interconnection from both BTCellnet and Vodafone.
4. Caroline Wallace outlined the scope of Oftel’s Essential Requirements Project. (Click here for the paper).
5. Oftel primarily expected to be working in conjunction with the Network Interoperability Consultative Committee to produce the Guidelines on Essential Requirements due to the essentially technical nature of the work. Nevertheless, the OPF would be kept informed of progress.
6. Anil Patel explained that the consultation document, Open access to communications networks: Ensuring competition in the provision of services, which was published in April, outlined Oftel’s approach to opening access to networks, i.e. allowing third-party operators to offer communications services to customers connected to another operator’s network. Oftel would apply three tests when it considered whether an operator should be obliged to open access to its network. These tests involve evaluating the operator’s position in the market, the costs and benefits of mandating open access, and the effectiveness and proportionality of an open access obligation. (Click here for Anil's slides).
7. Oftel had applied the three tests to cable operators and its provisional conclusion was that it was not presently justifiable to introduce regulation to require open access to cable networks.
8. Gavin Daykin summarised the issues addressed in the consultation document, Access Codes – Options for the future, which was published in May. It was explained that those codes typically used as a means of enabling customers of other networks to use the services of indirect access providers (‘Type B codes’) were running out, and that there was a need to consider ways of increasing the supply of these codes. Oftel proposed to broadly concur with the results of a cost benefit analysis that it had commissioned, with only certain unused Type A codes being initially redesignated as B codes. (Click here for Gavin's slides).
9. In response to a question on allocated access codes that were not in use, it was explained that Oftel carried out an audit each year on the allocation and use of access codes. It was open to Oftel as part of this review to withdraw those codes that had not been used or were not justifiably being kept. This would not in itself be sufficient to address the issue of the shortage of Type B codes.
10. Darren Kilburn (BT) reported that BT issued contract review notices on 25 April 2000 advising that current charging arrangements for interconnect links were not reasonable under paragraph 19.1.7 of the Network Charge Control Standard Interconnect Agreement. Under the current arrangements, BT does not recover its costs. The new arrangements, which BT expected to introduce with effect from 1 January 2001, would see the terminating operator owning all NTS traffic and all traffic that only transits BT’s network. (Click here for Darren's slides).
11. Chris Kenny added that Oftel would consider such disputes as might be brought to its attention should operators reject BT’s proposals and agreement isn’t reached.
12. Geoff Brighton explained that Oftel aimed to publish a consultative document by the end of July showing the methodology used to calculate the ‘retail uplift’ and the charge derived using this methodology.
13. In response to a request from BT, Geoff agreed that Oftel would inform the industry when the website version of Determination of a dispute between BT and MCI Worldcom concerning the provision of a Flat Rate Internet Access Call Origination Product (FRIACO) was the same as the printed version. Action 5/1. (Oftel informed the industry on 30 May 2000 via e-mail that the website version was the same as the printed version.)
14. Lisbeth Kristoffersen (MCI WorldCom) reported that BT and OLOs had encountered some difficulty in agreeing the terms of the contract for unbundling the local loop. The parties were trying to resolve the difficulties and Oftel was offering assistance.
15. There was some doubt as to when responses were required to Access to Bandwidth: Indicative prices and pricing principles. Oftel was asked to clarify the date by which responses were due in the action points. Action 5/2. (Responses were due by Thursday, 22 June 2000.)
16. Lesley Bulman (NTL) reported that Kieran MacDemott, Vodafone, would be taking over chairmanship of NGNP-FG. Other recent developments included:
17. Owen Watson’s (Torch) report was circulated with the action points, as were the group’s proposed revised terms of reference. Comments on the revised terms of reference should be sent to Owen Watson. Action 5/3.
19. The PNP had not met since the March OPF hence there wasn’t a report.
20. Karen Hardy (Energis) stated that progress on permanent CPS service was being made on a number of process issues but that some were still outstanding. These included the interaction of CPS Phase 2 with call barring, and the development of an optimal process for OLOs to pass multi-CLI orders to BT. Also, MCI WorldCom had withdrawn as one of the three triallists (since replaced by Viatel). The trial contract text had also been agreed and the trial contracts were about to be signed.
21. On interim CPS, there was still no volunteer triallist whilst BT’s legal challenge to the Oftel determination on BT payments for ICPS remained unresolved. However, BT was due to respond to the OLOs’ statement of requirements for a file transfer mechanism for order handling in the first week of June.
(Oftel will provide future ICPS reports.)
22. Chris Kenny stated that the consultative document Developing Numbering Administration and the document on Universal Service would probably be published before the next OPF.
23. In response to a query, Chris Kenny stated that the new version of the Numbering Conventions should be published in the summer.
24. Dennis Wood (BT) advised the OPF that an updated version of the Code of Practice for Service Interconnection in the UK, which was produced by the New Services Focus Group, would be placed on BT’s Wholesale Services and Solutions’ website from 1 June 2000.
| No. | Description | Status | Owner |
| 5/1 | Oftel was asked to advise when the web version
of Determination of a dispute
between BT and MCI Worldcom concerning the provision of a Flat Rate Internet
Access Call Origination Product (FRIACO) would be consistent with
the hard copy version.
Reply: Oftel notified operators on the 30 May 2000 that the web version of the Determination was fully consistent with the hard copy version. |
Closed. | N/a |
| 5/2 | Oftel was asked to clarify the date by which responses were
required to Access to Bandwidth: Indicative prices and pricing principles. Reply: Responses were due by Thursday, 22 June 2000. |
Closed | N/a |
| 5/3 | GNP has revised its term of reference (see attached). Comments should be sent to Owen Watson (owen.watson@torch.co.uk) by 30 June 2000. | New | OPF |
| 3/3 | Oftel will consult on proposed changes to the Number Portability Functional Specification by July, and it will specify rules on portability when remote call forwarding is in use. | 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 |
