European telecom regulators Mon. formally unveiled a work plan fo...
European telecom regulators Mon. formally unveiled a work plan for 2005 that includes reports on key broadband, VoIP and wholesale international roaming (WIR) issues. Because of overlap between the European Regulators Group (ERG) and the Independent Regulators Group (IRG)…
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-- both made up of national regulatory authorities (NRAs) -- the groups agreed on a common agenda, the ERG said. ERG 2005 Chmn. Jorgen Andersen had previewed the plan this month at the European Competitive Telecom Assn. annual regulatory conference (CD Dec 9 p9). As expected, the program includes activities in 3 categories. The first involves items with well-defined topics and “clear deliverables derived from major common concerns of the NRAs,” the ERG said. Here, the groups intend to produce reports on: (1) An analysis of Europe’s wholesale broadband market, for use in the review of the common position on anticompetition remedies. (2) Results and experiences of NRAs with the telecom market analysis required under the European Union’s e-communications regulatory framework. The ERG will also continue work on short and long-term issues related to a common position on a regulatory approach to VoIP. A draft common position was presented at the Dec. 2-3 plenary, but it’s not ready for publication, the ERG said. Regulators agreed a basic regulatory approach with thresholds for new entrants should be investigated. The approach would allow lighter regulation of smaller operators at first, particularly on numbering and emergency services. A draft common position could be up for discussion at the Feb. plenary, the ERG said. As part of its 2005 work plan, the group will also decide whether its remedies paper should be updated, and will try for common ground both on a market definition of WIR and on the need for regulation. A 2nd category of work involves issues expected to be triggered by legal obligations of the European Commission (EC). The group will issue opinions on the need for revision of the EC’s recommendation on relevant product and services markets, and on Commission plans to revamp the universal service directive, among other things. The 3rd category of work comprises ERG activities that support its mission and the successful execution of the work program. Here, regulators will continue to benchmark mobile termination rates, set principles of implementation and best practice on price control, and collect and publish data needed for other items in the work plan, the ERG said. Also Mon., the ERG launched a consultation on revisions to the significant market power concept under the new regulatory framework. Comments on both documents are due Jan. 17 -- erg-secretariat@cec.eu.int. A public hearing on both is set Jan. 14.