The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has released for public comment a draft telecommunications access code developed by the Telecommunications Access Forum.
The draft access code proposes arrangements for access to telecommunications services, including model terms and conditions for access to particular services. The code can play an important role under the new telecommunications regime to facilitate access undertakings to provide a greater certainty to access providers/seekers.
Under Part XIC of the Trade Practices Act, the ACCC must decide whether to approve a telecommunications access code submitted by the TAF using certain legislative criteria. To assist the ACCCs decision, it is seeking written submissions from industry and other interested parties.
It has also released a discussion paper detailing the legislative criteria for approval of the code and identifies key issues for interested parties.
The TAF has still to finalise two annexures of the code, which are expected within the next couple of weeks. The ACCC will invite comments on these annexures later.
The development of the draft access code by the TAF represents a significant achievement for industry self-regulation, Mr Rod Shogren, the nominated ACCC Commissioner for Telecommunications, said today. The ACCC has decided to release the draft code at this stage to maximise the opportunity for public comment. Comments received on the code will be important to assisting the ACCC in deciding whether to approve it.
Submissions must be received by ACCC before 20 November 1997.
The code and discussion paper are available on the ACCCs website at http://www.accc.gov.au. When the remaining annexures are submitted, they will also be made available on the website and copies of the entire code will be made available at the ACCCs Melbourne and Sydney offices.
For further information about this media release: Mr Rod Shogren, Commissioner (02) 6243 1115 Ms Lin Enright, Director, Public Relations, (02) 6243 1108
The draft access code proposes arrangements for access to telecommunications services, including model terms and conditions for access to particular services. The code can play an important role under the new telecommunications regime to facilitate access undertakings to provide a greater certainty to access providers/seekers.
Under Part XIC of the Trade Practices Act, the ACCC must decide whether to approve a telecommunications access code submitted by the TAF using certain legislative criteria. To assist the ACCCs decision, it is seeking written submissions from industry and other interested parties.
It has also released a discussion paper detailing the legislative criteria for approval of the code and identifies key issues for interested parties.
The TAF has still to finalise two annexures of the code, which are expected within the next couple of weeks. The ACCC will invite comments on these annexures later.
The development of the draft access code by the TAF represents a significant achievement for industry self-regulation, Mr Rod Shogren, the nominated ACCC Commissioner for Telecommunications, said today. The ACCC has decided to release the draft code at this stage to maximise the opportunity for public comment. Comments received on the code will be important to assisting the ACCC in deciding whether to approve it.
Submissions must be received by ACCC before 20 November 1997.
The code and discussion paper are available on the ACCCs website at http://www.accc.gov.au. When the remaining annexures are submitted, they will also be made available on the website and copies of the entire code will be made available at the ACCCs Melbourne and Sydney offices.
For further information about this media release: Mr Rod Shogren, Commissioner (02) 6243 1115 Ms Lin Enright, Director, Public Relations, (02) 6243 1108