Margaret Fleming, Program Manager Helen Bailey, Operations Manager International Training Program 2006

1. Communications AllianceRegulatory Overview Margaret Fleming, Program ManagerHelen Bailey, Operations Manager International Training Program 2006

2. Agenda Communications Alliance Australian Communications Industry Forum Background Code/Standard Development Process Achievements Case Study Conclusion

3. Communications Alliance • Formed in 2006 from a merger of ACIF and SPAN • To lead the industry into the NGN technologies and services • To contribute to policy development and debate • To promote the growth of the industry and protection of consumer interests through industry self-governance

4. What is Communications Alliance? • An industry owned, resourced and operated company • A neutral meeting ground for stakeholders • Communications Alliance encourages a culture of communication, cooperation and cross-industry participation • A leader and facilitator of self-regulation • Membership includes carriers, service providers, equipment vendors, industry associations, consumer associations and individual organisations

5. What does ACIF do? • ACIF is a division of Communications Alliance • ACIF provides a neutral forum in which all participants and end-users in the Australian communications industry can work together to promote and develop: • Inter-operator arrangements to make competition work • Consumer protections in the supply of telecommunications services • Network and customer equipment standards

6. The Framework and the Environment • Australia’s unique legislative mandate for telecommunications industry self-regulation • Communications Alliance’s central premise: the best outcomes for all stakeholders in Australian telecommunications can be achieved by co-operation, obviating the need for government regulation • Strong Government support for Communications Alliance-led self-regulatory responses

7. Australian Communications and Media Authority (Telco) Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Ministerial Advice Carrier/CSP obligations Frequency spectrum Carrier licensing Technical regulation USO Performance/compliance monitoring Numbering Code Registration Enforcement of Registered Industry Codes Other consumer safeguards Ministerial Advice Conduct/Competition Pricing Access Interconnection Number Portability Service declaration GOVERNMENT (Ministers and Departments) Regulatory Policy Legislation IndustryPolicy ACIF, a division of Communications Alliance Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Industry Codes Technical Standards Operations Guidelines Industry Services Industry Facilitation Consumer complaints about their telephone or internet service Industry and Consumer Associations Industry Suppliers

8. Reference Panels • Consumer Issues Reference Panel • Consumer issues - billing, credit management, consumer contracts, prices terms and conditions. CND, complaints handling • Operations Reference Panel • Interprovider issues - mobile and local number portability, commercial churn, preselection, rights of use of numbers, unconditioned local loop/DSL, fault management, ordering/provisioning, emergency services, building access,

9. Reference Panels • Network Reference Panel • Network type issues -mobile origin location. number portability (local, mobile and freephone), network interconnection, signalling, services interworking, network performance, unconditioned local loop/DSL, hybrid fibre coax, call charging/billing. • Customer Equipment and Cabling • Equipment issues - relating to telephony, ISDN, mobile, DSL and various cabling issues on the customer side of the network boundary.

10. Code/Standard development process • Involves Board, Reference Panels, Working Committees and Executive • Operating Manual details respective roles and responsibilities, together with operating processes and procedures • Processes and procedures based on openness, consensus, representation and consultation imperatives

11. Code/Standard development process • Processes and procedures designed to ensure all sectors of Australian society are reasonably able to influence the development of standards and codes • 4 standing Reference Panels (RP) each responsible for providing oversight of a particular area of industry activity • Standard/Code production by Working Committees (WC) specifically established for the task

12. Code/Standard development process • RPs and WCs must to the greatest extent possible be representative of parties interested in the subject matter of the proposed body of work to be undertaken • Project/Activity Proposal for CEO approval • Notice of the establishment of the Working Committee and call for nominations • Release of draft document for 30 - 60 day public comment period

13. Code/Standard development process • Working Committee formal ballot for content approval • Board approval to publish (process approval) • Board approval of submission to ACMA (registration/“making”)

14. Document Publication • Industry Codes – twenty-six (26) • Australian Standards – seventeen (17) • Specifications, Guidelines, Plans – more than forty (40) • IT Specifications, Operating Manuals, Test Strategies/Plans – more than thirty (30) • Publication Report contains details of all documents (available on website)

15. Industry Facilitation/ Coordination • VoIP Working Committee • broad representation of suppliers and providers • Quality of Service (QoS) issues in VoIP interconnectivity discussion paper • Fact Sheets for VoIP Service Providers on: • Customer Information • Emergency Services • Security • Basic Guide to VOIP Technical Terms and Issues • third annual VoIP Forum • Current issues - Numbering, Location information, QoS, service description

16. Advisory Councils • Advisory Councils – to ensure that consumers’ interests in the development of ACIF policy are met: • Consumer Council(9 participants from a wide range of consumer bodies, public interest groups) • Disability Advisory Body(9 participants from a wide range of the disability sector including hearing impaired, sight impaired etc.)

17. Industry Facilitation/ Coordination • Future Forums • A series of forums being held to identify the collaborative work which the industry needs to undertake – relating to the operational, technical, regulatory and commercial issues – in planning the transition to the NGN environment. • Fibre • Wireless • Mobile

18. Achievements • Mobile Number Portability • Consumer Contracts Code • Credit Management Code • Revised code and new standards for the deployment of ADSL2 and ADSL2+ next generation broadband • VoIP initiatives – Forum, Fact sheets, Working Group • Kick off of Single Consumer Code • QoS Industry Discussion paper

19. Case study/ACIF achievement: Mobile Number Portability (MNP) • ACCC issued direction in October 1999 for Mobile Number Portability to be mandatory • Industry was allowed to choose the technology to provide a long term solution • MNP was to operate across all mobile technologies • The implementation date was set for 25 December 2001

20. Case study: Mobile Number Portability (MNP) • QUESTION: • What do you think would be required within your country to implement Mobile Number Portability? • Who would need to be involved?

21. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) • RESULT • ACIF G556 A Framework for the introduction of MNP in Australia • ACIF G561 MNP – Network Plan for Voice, data, fax services • ACIF C570 Mobile Number Portability Industry Code • REQUIREMENT • To identify and start industry tasks required for the introduction of MNP • Network trunking arrangements • Operational Procedures

22. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) • RESULT • ACIF G573 MNP IT Specifications Parts 1, 2, and 3 • ACIF G574 MNP Customer Information • ACIF G574 MNP Ported Number Register • REQUIREMENT • Common Network Messaging and Architecture Specs • Requirements for provision of customer information • Register required for the effective routing of calls

23. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) • RESULT • ACIF G579 MNP Operations Manual • ACIF G590 MNP Law Enforcement Agency Solution • ACIF G592 MNP IT Test Strategy • REQUIREMENT • Operational arrangements for the implementation of MNP • Meet the requirements of law enforcement agencies • Framework for IT testing for new participants using MNP

24. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) • RESULT • ACIF G593 MNP IT Test Strategy • ACIF G594 MNP Digital Certification Replacement Test Plan • MNP Industry Contact List • MNP Planned Outage Log • REQUIREMENT • MNP Test Details • Framework for replacement/testing digital certificates • Contact details for industry members • Details of Planned outages that may affect MN porting

25. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) • RESULT • MNP National Public Holidays • MNP Test Schedule / Roster • Expected data on a ported number • REQUIREMENT • Listing of non MNP porting days • Details of test windows for new participants • Expected data for validation purposes

26. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) • Parties involved in document/procedure development included: • Mobile Carriers • Carriers/Carriage Service Providers • Portability Service Suppliers • Regulators • Consumers

27. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) • Industry agreed solution represented world’s best practice in relation to speed in which customers can port their number • Service levels require • 90% ports in 3 hours; and • 99% ports in 2 days

28. Essential elements of self-regulation • Industry ownership and inclusiveness • Formal structure and rules • Underpinning Government policy framework • Support by incumbent(s) • Attitude of cooperation • Equitable funding arrangements • Neutrality, neutrality, neutrality