The initial consultation period will run until 26 April 1996. There will then be a further period up to 10 May during which comments are invited on any submissions made to Oftel during the initial period. Comments are invited in particular on the questions highlighted in the text of the document and summarised in Chapter 8.
Written comments should be submitted to:
Chris Taylor
Consultation on Price Control
Oftel
50 Ludgate Hill
London
EC4M 7JJ
Written comments will be made publicly available in Oftel's Library except where respondents indicate that their response or parts of it are confidential. Respondents are therefore asked to separate out any confidential material into a confidential annex which is clearly marked as such. In the interests of transparency, respondents are requested to avoid confidentiality markings wherever possible.
Short comments on this document can also be sent to Oftel on the Internet (if they are relatively short) by filling in the form on the Web pages or by using the following e-mail address:
press.office.oftel@gtnet.gov.uk
Oftel intends to set up a link between this document on Oftel's pages and any responses placed on respondents' own Internet pages. Please contact Catherine Guiver at Oftel on 0171-634 8756 to organise this.
Confidential responses should not be sent via the Internet.
A less detailed document focusing on the implications of price control arrangements for residential customers will be published before the end of March. Residential customers will be asked for comments on this by 10 May.
Oftel is holding the following public hearings for discussion of its proposals on price control:
17 April - London
Beveridge Hall, Senate House, London University, Malet Street, London WC1.
23 April - Glasgow
Hospitality Inn & Convention Centre, Cambridge Street, Glasgow.
2 May - Cardiff
Cardiff Marriot Hotel, Mill Lane, Cardiff.
7 May - Belfast
The Europa Hotel, Great Victoria Street, Belfast.
16 May - Birmingham
Novotel Birmingham City Centre Hotel, 70 Broad Street, Birmingham.
All the hearings will run from 17.30 to 20.00. Light refreshment will be available at each venue from 17.00.
Each hearing will be addressed by a speaker from Oftel, a customer representative organisation, BT, and another telecoms operator.
Anyone is welcome to come to any of the hearings. If you would like to attend, please telephone Oftel on 0645 600 660 and leave a message (calls charged at local rate).
Oftel would be happy to engage in additional discussions with the industry and consumer groups on key issues raised by this document, and will gladly participate in appropriate fora organised by the industry and/or consumer groups for this purpose. In particular, Oftel would be interested to discuss what any pre-set conditions for competition (considered in Chapter 6) should be.
Oftel will be publishing its final proposals, and draft licence modifications, for statutory consultation at the end of May 1996.