http://www.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/groups/nts_focus/notes/nts27oct05

Meeting Notes & Actions
Agenda item (1) - Introductions
Attendance:
Colin Scott
THUS (Chair)

Dave Bratt
MCI

Marcus Rudkin
Band-X

Durmuid Jennings
Reality Telecom

Richard Anderson
COLT

Gareth Davies
Ofcom

Geoff Brighton
Ofcom

Clive Hillier
Ofcom

Nic Green
Ofcom

Liz Greenberg
Ofcom

Karen Wray
C&W

Dave Simpson
Easynet

Anne McCardle
MCI

Andy Martin
IV Response

Toby Higho
Centrica

Kath Embleton
BT

Andrew Wileman
Telewest

Helen Morgan
Energis

Nancy Saunders
Kingston

Mark Amoss
BT

Alex Cheetham
BT

Colin Annette
BT

Julian Wootten
BT

Nick Dixon
Kingston

Sarajane Amey
NTL

Debbie Mulloy
NTL

Dominic Carney
YourCommunications

Mike Barford
Tiscali


Agenda (2): Q&A on the three current NTS PRS related consultations/statement (Ofcom)
Geoff Brighton said that Ofcom didn’t have anything to add to the consultation documents already published, however Ofcom were happy to take any questions.

Dave Simpson asked how open the debate was. How much was left to be decided?

Geoff Brighton said that all consultations are open and that Ofcom will consider the views expressed by all sides.

Nancy Saunders asked how Ofcom would stop originators revenue sharing on calls which they both originated and terminated.

Gareth Davies said that Ofcom probably wouldn’t look at this area. Nancy added that given BT originate and terminate a large proportion of calls they could continue to offer a revenue share.

Colin Annette said that this would probably raise cross subsidy issues and would be adequately covered by existing provisions. Gareth Davies agreed.

Durmuid Jennings asked when the numbering policy review would be completed. Helen Morgan added that it would be helpful if Ofcom provided a co-ordinated overall plan as clarity was required over issues relating to the General Conditions, ICSTIS and numbering.

Gareth Davies said that Ofcom should be in a position to give more detail of the impact of the numbering review on the NTS policy review by the time it published the statement.

Alex Cheetham asked if Ofcom planned to do a further consultation on the proposals for 0870 (on the removal of revenue share and the re-linkage to geographic pricing).

Gareth Davies said if Ofcom proceeded as proposed, further statutory consultations would be required to re-establish the linkage between 0870 call charges and geographic call charges, extend PRS regulation and remove 0870 from the scope of the NTS Call Origination Condition.

Andrew Wileman said the document mentioned the issue of who was responsible for transit charging, however it didn’t propose a way forward. When did Ofcom expect that debate to occur?

Geoff Brighton said that Ofcom had expressed a view in the consultation, however since the present arrangements were not subject to any regulation Ofcom considered that the issue should be dealt with through contractual agreement by operators.

Colin Annette said he expected negotiations to happen on both transit and termination payments during the one year interim period. Andrew asked if BT anticipated the negotiations occurring on a bi-lateral or multi-lateral basis. Colin said he expected discussions on transit and termination to be both bi-lateral and multi-lateral.

Andy Martin asked if Ofcom had received any consumer responses. Clive Hillier said that over 100 consumer responses had been received, many prompted by the Say no to 0870 campaign.

Andy Martin asked if any mobile operators had responded. Clive said Ofcom had not received any industry responses so far.

Colin Scott asked Ofcom why it had not consulted with any mobile operators prior to the consultation being published when NTS calls from mobiles had been identified as a major cause of consumer concern. Geoff Brighton said that no mobile providers had approached Ofcom and that Ofcom had consulted with many stakeholders prior to publication. Nancy Saunders said that Ofcom had sought out the views of other stakeholders. Andy Martin said that a discussion with the mobiles was very important.

Geoff Brighton said that with hindsight it might have been better to approach the mobile providers.

Toby Higho asked if Ofcom had conducted any analysis on the comparisons between 0844/0871 and 0845/0870?

Clive Hillier said that some comparisons had already been published, however more would be shared soon when the additional consumer research is published.

Colin Annette asked if the Ofcom Consumer Panel had given any feedback. Gareth Davies said that the Consumer Panel would be submitting a response. Geoff Brighton said he had also met with the Advisory Committee for England (ACE) which, in addition to the Consumer Panel , provide advice to the Ofcom Board on consumer issues. This group were generally supportive of Ofcom’s proposals but remained concerned about ‘locked-in’ services where consumers have little choice in making NTS calls.

Nancy Saunders said the consultation failed to consider the many other methods of communication available, including email and post. Very few consumers were truly locked in.

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Nic Green said that Ofcom would seek views prior to the consultation closing so that as much work as possible could be done in advance. It was better to set a tight deadline. Nancy Saunders  commented on whether the statement would resolve all of the NTS issues. Nic Green said that the plan was to resolve as many of those issues as possible, prioritising those specifically covered by the NTS review.  Nic Green and Clive Hillier confirmed that the timing of the two projects would also be co-ordinated.

Agenda Item (5) – INCA/CLI Update

Mark Amoss said that OCCNs containing the 1 st of December 2005 pricing had now been issued and should have been returned to BT by the 21 st of October.

Debbie Mulloy asked why BT needed them back so soon. Mark said there was a considerable about of implementation work required.

Julian Wootten said that BT had released a series of industry notifications on INCA/ CLI implementation (the URL to access them is also listed below):

05002    NTS Review Workshop 7th February.

05057    INCA/ CLI for NTS Interconnection Charging - EBC Sample Data.

05063    INCA/ CLI for NTS Interconnection Charging - CP Solution Guide Issue 1 

05064    INCA/ CLI for NTS Interconnection Charging - Update on Development Timescales

05070    INCA/ CLI for NTS Interconnection Charging - Update on Surcharge

05071    INCA/ CLI for NTS Interconnection Charging - EBC Test Data & Transit Sample Data

05080    INCA/ CLI for NTS Interconnection Charging - Launch Notification

05081    INCA/ CLI for NTS Interconnection Charging - Transit Test Data

05082    INCA/ CLI for NTS Interconnection Charging - CP Solution Guide issue 1.1

05084    INCA/ CLI for NTS Interconnection Charging - DEDS Registration

05091    INCA/ CLI for NTS Interconnection Charging - DEDS Registration Update (includes FAQs)

05093     INCA/ CLI for NTS Interconnection Charging - EBC Charging Reference Data

BT Wholesale

Julian invited questions on the implementation.

Dave Simpson asked why DEDS had to utilise an ISDN line. Julian said ISDN supported all the necessary security.

Julian said the EBC files would be made available on DEDS on the 17 th of November and the transit files on or after the 1 st of January. If CPs experience any problems they are to contact the EBC Helpline (contact details for this can be found on the interconnect notifications relating to INCA/ CLI ). A FAQ had been produced and was embedded in notification 05091.

Richard Anderson asked if the NTS levy was applicable from the 1 st of April 2006 . Mark Amoss said that it was applicable from 1 st December 2005 and would be billed every quarter in arrears from the 1 st of April 2006 . (The first bill would cover the period 1 st Dec ‘05 to 31 st March ’06 ).

Andrew Wileman asked about BT’s proposals for updating the CPL . Mark Amoss confirmed that CPL section 1.0.2.1 would cease to be updated after the 1 st of January 2007 and a new pricing table would be put into CPL section 1.0.2.3. This would have A and B sections, with section A containing generic pricing and section B would list operators who hadn’t signed. Section 1.12 would still contain all the numbers split out.

Mark Amoss asked FG members to consider if the rates in the CPL should only apply from the date the letter was signed, not the effective date on the letter (as is current practice).

New Action #W/1: All FG members to consider if the rates in the CPL should only be applied from the date the letter was signed, not the effective date on the letter (as is current practice).

Agenda Item (6) – Review of remaining outstanding actions

Mike Barford provided an update on action #T/1 - to establish an NTS FG working group with the aim of resolving the NGNP issue. Mike said that meeting to discuss the issue in more detail would be arranged for November / December. If any CP wanted to be involved they should email Mike Barford (Action #T/1 Carried Forward)

# V/1:
BT to consider how they show payments to operators who haven’t signed up to the pricing in section 1.02.3.


Closed – see agenda item 5

# V/2:
BT to consider how to amend section 1.12 to show the effective charging date for transit calls instead of the Pricing Letter effective date.


Closed – See Agenda Item 5


Agenda item (7) – Any Other Business
Colin Scott said it was his intention to stand down as chair of the FG and Andrew Wileman had kindly volunteered to chair the group.

Date of Next Meeting:
Thursday 8th December– 2.00pm Ofcom – Riverside House, London
Agreed NTS FG Meeting Dates for 2006:

18 th January (Wednesday)
17 th August

2 nd March
28 th September

11 th April (Tuesday)
9 th November

25 th May
14 th December

6 th July
   


Summary of New and Outstanding Actions:
# T/1:
Mike Barford to establish an NTS FG working group with the aim of resolving the NGNP issue

# W/1:
All FG members to consider if the rates in the CPL should only be applied from the date the letter was signed, not the effective date on the letter (as is current practice).

end