Latest ODTR consultation initiative

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2"> from Media Release today by ODTR:
Etain Doyle, Telecoms Regulator today (4th July 2001) issued a wide ranging consultation paper on communications and delivery issues connected with the Internet. Recognising that the Internet is entering a more mature stage of its development the ODTR is seeking views from interested parties on how the market will and should develop. </font>

I'm sure that the timing of this - released the day before we meet them - is entirely coincidental

The paper is available at
http://www.odtr.ie/docs/odtr0147.doc

I've had a quick read through it and a number of issues/questions jump out immediately from an IrelandOffline perspective but I prefer to hold these until we meet the Director tomorrow

Martin Harran

sceptre

Never heard of PDF have they? (paying their webdesigner per word by the looks of things)

dahamsta

They experimented with PDF a while back, but they gave up on it pretty quickly. Anyway, they would do this after I finally converted to Linux, wouldn't they?! Now, how the hell do I open a Word doc? I know I saw a convertor here somewhere...

adam

LegacyUser

Just a few interesting points from that article:


"eircom indicates that 40% of local call minutes on its network is accounted for by Internet traffic"


that is a HUGE portion of their revenue, no wonder they're so reluctant to lose that.

"The Director believes that her role is not to prescribe technical or commercial models for the delivery of Internet services but to facilitate the competitive provision of services by addressing actual or potential market failures. The Director recognises that there will be issues arising in connection with the delivery of Internet services that cannot be predicted at this stage of the market's development and other measures that may prove impossible to resolve under the current regulatory regime. Nevertheless, her objective is to make the regime as future-proof as is practicable, but notes the need to return to the subject as developments proceed."

"ODTR 01/12 opened two new access codes and number ranges for dial up Internet access, 1892 (Pay-As-You-Go) and 1893 (Partial or Full Flat Rate Internet Access). While the introduction of product offerings on these codes are a matter for Service Providers who must establish suitable interconnection arrangements with eircom. The ODTR is monitoring these developments closely, and will provide dispute resolution at the request of either party."

I'd just like to say, not good enough god damn it. If "40% of local call minutes on its network is accounted for by Internet traffic" then why the heck would Eircom want to introduce a flat rate service? They wouldn't !!! Please, we have to force them to offer it...

"According to the OECD the average amount of online time per subscriber is an important means of examining the accessibility of the Internet to residential users and a good indicator of the growth of e-commerce in a country . The average online time reported by leading ISPs generally falls into two categories, metered and unmetered access. On average usage generally falls into a band of between 5 and 9 hours a month in countries with metered access compared to an average AOL (United States) user who spent 32 hours per month online, and Telecom New Zealand users who spent on average 20 hours per month online, where unmetered access is available. Unmetered access has stimulated growth in the amount of time that people spend online."

*hint*, *hint* ... introduce flat rate already

"Overall, Ireland has made progress, but there is still room for improvement"

No sh*t sherlock, there is a heck of a lot of room for improvement.

"A Flat Rate interconnection product is a move away from the pence per minute interconnection charge structure to the capacity based charging model. ISPs may find it advantageous to offer customers a fixed rate Internet access product. However, developments in both Ireland and overseas demonstrates that, given lower portal revenues than had been forecast, some operators are finding it hard to make a profit from such schemes. Matching telephony costs and revenues is particularly important as margins decline. In the UK, flat rate schemes have been introduced for OLOs, and other EU countries are working on this also.
Flat Rate interconnection has the advantage of allowing the operators to know their costs before introducing a full subscription based product. Interconnect payments to the incumbent are no longer unbounded. The introduction of the new Internet access code 1893 also allows for partial flat rate access. Here the consumer would not pay for their Telecommunications time online up to pre-set limit, but an agreed subscription for their Internet service.

While the introduction of product offerings on these codes is a matter for the operators and eircom, eircom are obliged to negotiate with the operators for the introduction of the new product offerings. Should eircom introduce a retail offering they must also provide a wholesale offering to the operators, as the principle of non discrimination also applies to eircom. The ODTR is monitoring these developments closely, and will provide dispute resolution at the request of any party in the event of slow progress or the breakdown of negotiations.

Internationally, three main types of Flat Rate Interconnection products have been defined, namely,
· Digital Local Exchange interconnection: The point of interconnection is at the local exchange.
· Hybrid Flat Rate: Here the interconnection is also in the local exchange, but the operator may purchase onward capacity up to the Tandem level which would be charged at a pence per minute rate. And finally,
· Single Tandem. Flat Rate Interconnection: Here the traffic is interconnected at the tandem level.

The ODTR is aware that certain operators are seeking to negotiate such a product with eircom and is already aware of certain issues specific to the parties involved. The ODTR would nevertheless be interested, even while this process continues, to understand fully the issues of concern to the industry as a whole.
Our consumer survey referred to in Section 3.1 above indicates that some 15% named internet related/telephony costs as substantial issues for those not considering getting access. Pre-paid access has been very important in getting over similar issues for mobile usage. It is useful to consider if such types of innovative strategies may be useful in overcoming this kind of concern."

Oh please, will someone just negotiate it out with Eircom, or will Eircom please just offer it themselves. Just give us flat rate access, i want it now, please!!!

[This message has been edited by nahdoic (edited 04-07-2001).]

LegacyUser

error

[This message has been edited by 80project.com (edited 04-07-2001).]

LegacyUser

Please Dont give any credence to PDF- its so annoying- Lets keep their reports in HTML if possible
80p.

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