The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today issued the Information Paper entitled 'Declaration of Telecommunications Services: The Public Inquiry Process'.
Part XIC of the Trade Practices Amendment (Telecommunications) Act 1997 introduces a new regime governing access to telecommunications services. Access obligations in relation to a particular service are established by the declaration of that service by the ACCC. Once a service is declared, service providers must be provided with that service and specified ancillary services, on request, by any carrier or carriage service provider supplying the services. The access regime will thus enable industry operators to make use of each other's networks to provide carriage and content services to their customers.
The Information Paper provides an overview of the declaration process and is designed to assist potential access seekers in developing their proposals for public inquiries into whether particular services should be declared. Any person may make a written request to the ACCC to hold a public inquiry, although it would be desirable for parties seeking the declaration of a service to first approach the Telecommunications Access Forum as this may enable a service to be declared sooner than if a public inquiry were held. The Information Paper discusses the matters the ACCC will consider in deciding whether to hold a public inquiry and the procedures that would be involved in conducting such an inquiry.
Copies of the statement will be available from the ACCC's Internet website
Further information Mr. Rod Shogren, Commissioner, (06) 264 1415 or (0414) 613 521 Ms Lin Enright, Director, Public Relations, (06) 264 2808
Part XIC of the Trade Practices Amendment (Telecommunications) Act 1997 introduces a new regime governing access to telecommunications services. Access obligations in relation to a particular service are established by the declaration of that service by the ACCC. Once a service is declared, service providers must be provided with that service and specified ancillary services, on request, by any carrier or carriage service provider supplying the services. The access regime will thus enable industry operators to make use of each other's networks to provide carriage and content services to their customers.
The Information Paper provides an overview of the declaration process and is designed to assist potential access seekers in developing their proposals for public inquiries into whether particular services should be declared. Any person may make a written request to the ACCC to hold a public inquiry, although it would be desirable for parties seeking the declaration of a service to first approach the Telecommunications Access Forum as this may enable a service to be declared sooner than if a public inquiry were held. The Information Paper discusses the matters the ACCC will consider in deciding whether to hold a public inquiry and the procedures that would be involved in conducting such an inquiry.
Copies of the statement will be available from the ACCC's Internet website
Further information Mr. Rod Shogren, Commissioner, (06) 264 1415 or (0414) 613 521 Ms Lin Enright, Director, Public Relations, (06) 264 2808