A code to help the telecommunications industry settle access arrangements has been approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the industry regulator.
Acting ACCC Chairman, Mr Allan Asher, said today the code, if adopted by industry participants, should fast-track the provision of telecommunication services to carriers and service providers.
There are considerable benefits in this approach as the code sets out terms and conditions under which that access can be gained. This eliminates the need for each term and condition to be individually negotiated.
Access undertakings which adopt the code's terms and conditions will be accepted automatically by the ACCC.
The code has been developed by the Telecommunications Access Forum, the industry body which represents the interests of both access providers and seekers of telecommunications carriage services. It was established to assist industry self-regulation.
The code has arrangements for access to telecommunications services. It includes model terms and conditions for access to declared services, including originating and terminating access services on the public switched, GSM and AMPS networks; and transmission, digital data access, conditioned local loop and AMPS to GSM diversion services. The code should play an important role in the provision of access undertakings.
The code's approval follows extensive development work by the TAF and consultation with industry and interested parties.
The code's development demonstrates that industry self-regulation can work and has an important and continuing role, Mr Asher said today. The code will provide a fast-track approval route for undertakings which adopt the codes model terms and conditions. This will benefit both access providers and seekers.
The ACCC does not expect the code to be a static document, but rather one that will be strengthened and improved over time.
The code is available on the ACCCs website at http://www.accc.gov.au and at the ACCCs Melbourne and Sydney offices.
Acting ACCC Chairman, Mr Allan Asher, said today the code, if adopted by industry participants, should fast-track the provision of telecommunication services to carriers and service providers.
There are considerable benefits in this approach as the code sets out terms and conditions under which that access can be gained. This eliminates the need for each term and condition to be individually negotiated.
Access undertakings which adopt the code's terms and conditions will be accepted automatically by the ACCC.
The code has been developed by the Telecommunications Access Forum, the industry body which represents the interests of both access providers and seekers of telecommunications carriage services. It was established to assist industry self-regulation.
The code has arrangements for access to telecommunications services. It includes model terms and conditions for access to declared services, including originating and terminating access services on the public switched, GSM and AMPS networks; and transmission, digital data access, conditioned local loop and AMPS to GSM diversion services. The code should play an important role in the provision of access undertakings.
The code's approval follows extensive development work by the TAF and consultation with industry and interested parties.
The code's development demonstrates that industry self-regulation can work and has an important and continuing role, Mr Asher said today. The code will provide a fast-track approval route for undertakings which adopt the codes model terms and conditions. This will benefit both access providers and seekers.
The ACCC does not expect the code to be a static document, but rather one that will be strengthened and improved over time.
The code is available on the ACCCs website at http://www.accc.gov.au and at the ACCCs Melbourne and Sydney offices.