New guidelines promote Oftel's strategy

The guidelines, published in June, are designed to enhance Oftel's analysis and decision-making processes.

Publication of the guidelines also ensures that stakeholders can understand the different processes Oftel follows in its work, givingincreased transparency to its decision making process.

Oftel's draft Consumer protection policy review (CPPR) guidelines, explain the process for reviewing policy areas not covered by market reviews or competition policy, for example, handling consumer complaints and publishing information for consumers. Oftel will finalise the guidelines after considering stakeholders' comments.

The complementary Regulatory option appraisal guidelines set out the framework that Oftel will use to assess different options when taking its decisions. They will be used in all areas of Oftel's work, including consumer protection and competition-related issues, as a basis for assessing the impact of different policy options.

Oftel has also published market research guidelines, which set out best practice in the use of market research resources at different stages of policymaking, implementation and compliance.

Guidelines for assessing significant market power

In August Oftel published guidelines for assessing whether telecoms companies have significant market power

Under new EU Directives which entered into force earlier this year, significant market power (SMP) is the key consideration for assessing whether a market is effectively competitive.

If a company is found to have SMP in a specific market, Oftel will have the power to impose additional regulation to safeguard competition and protect consumers.

The new Directives require national regulators to carry out reviews of competition in electronic communications markets by 24 July 2003.

Oftel's guidelines, which complement guidelines published by the EC, set out key criteria for deciding whether a company has significant market power. The new guidelines update Oftel's Effective competition review guidelines to take account of the new Directives.