The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has today published interim determinations, together with the statements of reasons, in three telecommunications mobile terminating access service (MTAS) arbitrations.*
The arbitrations involve the following parties:
- Hutchison Telecommunications (Australia) Ltd (access seeker) – Optus Networks Pty Ltd; Optus Mobile Pty Ltd and Optus Vision Pty Ltd (access provider)
- Hutchison 3G Australia Pty Ltd (access seeker) – Optus Networks Pty Ltd; Optus Mobile Pty Ltd and Optus Vision Pty Ltd (access provider)
- PowerTel Ltd (access seeker) – Optus Networks Pty Ltd; Optus Mobile Pty Ltd and Optus Vision Pty Ltd (access provider)
The interim determinations and statements of reasons are available on the ACCC's website.
Under the Trade Practices Act 1974 the ACCC may make an interim determination in a dispute prior to making a final determination.
The interim determinations set out the charges to be paid by the access seekers to Optus for the supply of the MTAS, except where agreed otherwise by the parties. The statements of reasons set out the ACCC's reasons for the interim determinations.
The interim determinations set an initial price for the MTAS of 18 cents per minute, decreasing to 15 cents per minute on 1 January 2006 for the remainder of the 12 month period.
The interim determinations were made in July and August of this year. The interim determinations are in effect for 12 months or until a final determination comes into effect or the interim determination is revoked.
The ACCC is required to consult with the parties regarding publication of the interim determinations.
The ACCC has considered the parties' submissions and, except for information considered confidential, the interim determinations and statements of reasons are published in full.
Given that the legislation contemplates that arbitrations otherwise be conducted in private, the ACCC will not be making any further public comment at this stage.
* The Domestic Mobile Terminating Access Service is a wholesale input, used by providers of fixed-to-mobile and mobile-to-mobile calls, to allow their customers to call mobile phone users. It allows consumers (either fixed-line or mobile) to call mobile users connected to another network. The carrier whose customer initiates the call pays the carrier whose customer receives the call for the mobile terminating access service.
The disputes relate to the charges, and other terms and conditions, for carrying that portion of a call which terminates on Optus's mobile network.