ACCC issues premium rate and National rate number portability draft report

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today issued a draft report mandating premium rate and national rate number portability.

Premium Rate Number Portability

Premium rate services are non-geographic services specified in the 19xx number range. They are charged at a premium rate, independent of content or delivery technology. Telstra is currently the only carrier providing such services. The ACCC's preliminary view is that portability for premium rate numbers should be mandated as soon as possible.

The paper argues that mandating portability for premium rate numbers is likely to benefit consumers by promoting competition. The benefit is likely to outweigh the cost to industry of portability implementation.

National Rate Number Portability

National rate services are non-geographic services specified in the 170xx number range. The charge for the services must not exceed the highest rate charged by the national provider for a call from a standard service to an Australian geographic number. National rate services are not currently available and no carrier holds an allocation of such numbers. The industry is yet to identify a business case for them.

The ACCC believes a decision on mandating national rate numbers should be delayed until a carrier requests an allocation.

Comments on the draft report are sought by 8 August 2001.