The latest from Riverside asylum:
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/telecoms/groups/nts_focus/notes/nts7nov06NTS Focus Group - 7th November 2006 - 2.00 pm Ofcom
Meeting Notes & Actions
Agenda item (1) - Introductions
Attendance:
Andrew Wileman Ntl:Telewest (Chair)
Marcus Rudkin Band-X
Rob Day BT
Kath Embleton BT
Justin Hornby Cable & Wireless
Laurent Pariat Cable & Wireless
Andrew Monk Carphone Warehouse
Toby Higho Easynet
Will Goodall Flextel
David
Happy Flextel
Tom Cairns Gamma
Andy Martin IV Response
Lesa Green Kingston Communications
Nancy Saunders Kingston Communications
Geoff Brighton Ofcom
Clive Hillier Ofcom
Mike Barford Tiscali
Agenda Item (2): Review of minutes of previous meeting
Kath Embleton/Rob Day noted that the proposed timetable for discussion around future 0870 charging arrangements did not provide sufficient time for preparation of OCCNs/pricing letters. The timetable was therefore to be adjusted as follows:
Now – Dec 2006: Discussion/agreement of principles
Jan 2007 – mid March 2007: Negotiation/agreement of rates
Mid April 2007: Issue by BT of pricing letters/OCCNs (1 month required for OCCN preparation)
Summer 2007: Potential referral to Ofcom (if a dispute arises)
1st Feb 2008: Implementation of new interconnect rates (either as a result of agreement or via Ofcom ruling)
No additional comments/concerns were raised. It was therefore agreed that the minutes, once amended, could be published on the Ofcom website.
Agenda (3): Update/progress report on the current 'live' NTS related consultations/investigations: (Ofcom/All)
Adult Services consultation
Geoff Brighton said that the publication of the ‘Conditions regulating Sexual Entertainment Services’ consultation was imminent. (Post meeting note: Consultation was published on 9 th November). The consultation will contain proposals to ensure that all sexual entertainment services (SES) are offered on 09 premium rate telephone numbers, and that all SES are subject to premium rate regulation regardless of the price charged for the service. The closing date for consultation responses is 14 th December 2006.
NCCN 500 investigation/NTS call termination market review
Clive Hillier said that Ofcom was still in the process of drawing the NCCN 500 investigation to a conclusion. He added that the intention was to circulate the preliminary findings to the parties to the dispute in the first instance.
The call termination market review remains on hold, pending the outcome of the NCCN 500 investigation.
Andrew Wileman noted the potential linkage between the outcome of the call termination market review and discussions around future 0870 interconnect charges. Clive said there would not necessarily be a linkage as 0870 was due to be removed from the scope of the NTS call origination condition. Nancy Saunders said that the key question was that of which market 0870 would fall into. Other attendees believed that a linkage would exist, but the extent to which this would be the case was not clear.
ICSTIS progress re. Governance of 0871
Clive Hillier confirmed that the ICSTIS pre-consultation on the extension of its remit to cover 0871 services closed on 29 th September. A full consultation is due to be published in February 2007. Andy Martin noted that the current timetable had created a timing issue. CPs/SPs considering a migration from 0870 to 0871 ranges would not know what the exact conditions & constraints around the 0871 number range would be until later in 2007. Andy said that this did not leave time to plan or produce business plans. Will Goodall said he believed that the ICSTIS consultation process should be expedited as it presented a significant problem for businesses considering a migration from 0870 to 0871.
Will asked if the forthcoming ICSTIS regulation would apply universally to all price points within the 0871 range? Clive Hillier said that the ICSTIS code would apply to the entire 0871 range, however the question of whether different regulation would apply at different price points would be left to the discretion of ICSTIS when compiling the consultation.
Clive Hillier also informed attendees that the 11 th ICSTIS code was to be approved imminently.
General Condition 14 Enforcement Programme
Clive Hillier advised that Ofcom had opened an own-initiative enforcement programme into compliance with the amended General Condition 14 (NTS and PRS Codes of Practice). Responses had been received to the formal requests for information and Ofcom was in the process of considering these submissions.
BT POLO Dispute
Attendees were advised that Ofcom had received a referral for dispute from BT as a result of non-signature of recent OCCNs by a number of CPs. (These OCCNs covered the revision of BT’s retail call charges, following the relaxation of BT charge controls and changes to discount values). Clive Hillier said that Ofcom had opened an enquiry and was in the process of considering the scope of any potential dispute. He also said that input had been received from the parties involved.
...