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Implementation Group meeting - 04/07/03. Guidelines for the interconnection of PECNs Frank Phillips (Oftel). What are the Guidelines?.
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Implementation Groupmeeting - 04/07/03 Guidelines for the interconnection of PECNs Frank Phillips (Oftel)
What are the Guidelines? • The Guidelines offer an analysis of the Access and Interconnection Directive (2002/19/EC) in order to clarify which Communications Providers attract interconnection rights and obligations
Interconnection under the AID • Interconnection is a specific type of Access • it involves the physical or logical linking of one Public Electronic Communications Network (PECN) with another
What is a PECN? • a PECN has three necessary elements: • there must be an Electronic Communications Network (ECN) • the ECN must be used wholly or mainly to provide Electronic Communications Services (ECS) • the ECS must be available to members of the public
What is an ECN? • a transmission system for the conveyance of signals (plus apparatus comprised in the system / switching and routing apparatus / software and stored data) • main decision that the transmission capability required to implement interconnection establishes ECN status
What is an ECS (i)? • the principal feature of an ECS is the conveyance of signals by means of an ECN (but not a content service) • information society services that do not consist wholly or mainly in the conveyance of signals are not ECS (Framework Directive)
What is an ECS (ii) ? • Guidelines offer three layers of ECS: • basic network services • advanced services (supported by an associated facility) • enhanced services (supported by an associated facility - additionally, involve interaction, manipulation or storage of content)
Public availability • the Bill term is “available to members of the public” (not the same as “man in the street”) • there must be, in theory, no upper limit to the class of potential customers (excluding network or geographic limitations) • users must not be required to pre-qualify (eg access to phone systems by hotel guests) • services largely provided to members of provider’s own Group not genuinely available to members of the public
Replacing the Annex ll list • the greatest level of consensus in the consultation was the universal desire for a register of providers that Oftel/Ofcom consider to be PECNs • need to emphasise that such a register has no statutory underpinning, so will be voluntary • offers presumption of PECN status