1 / 27

Mark Norris

ITU – Oman, Muscat, Sun 3 rd April 2005 Interconnection and Price Regulation Workshop Interconnect Principles. Mark Norris. Scope of Presentation. Introduction – what is Interconnect? Principles of Interconnection - Regulator’s Role Interconnection Conveyance services Physical connection

ronniefoster
Download Presentation

Mark Norris

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. ITU – Oman, Muscat, Sun 3rd April 2005Interconnection and Price Regulation WorkshopInterconnect Principles Mark Norris Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  2. Scope of Presentation • Introduction – what is Interconnect? • Principles of Interconnection - Regulator’s Role • Interconnection • Conveyance services • Physical connection • Other aspects e.g. Numbering • Access • Co-location • RIO • Summary & Discussion Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  3. Interconnection Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  4. Interconnection Principles • Interconnection shall be offered by a ‘dominant’ operator: • at any technically feasible point in the network • under non-discriminatory terms, conditions (including technical standards and specifications) and rates • on terms, conditions (including technical standards and specifications) and cost-oriented rates that are transparent, reasonable, having regard to economic feasibility • at a quality no less favourable than that provided for its own like services • sufficiently unbundled so that the supplier need not pay for network components or facilities that it does not require  • On a timely basis • a ‘dominant’ operator will make publicly available either its interconnection agreements or a reference interconnection offer • There must be an independent dispute resolution body Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  5. Regulator’s Role • Interconnection is important to a dominant operator as a revenue source; and to other licensed operators and consumers as a vital enabler of competition. • Interconnection agreements are commercial agreements between operators, and can be subject to normal market considerations. • The Regulator’s primary roles with respect to Interconnection are therefore to ensure transparency and provide dispute-resolution: • Determine general and specific terms for interconnection • Intervene to determine agreements • Monitor changes to agreements • Resolve interconnection disputes • Make decisions & determinations available to public Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  6. Physical Connection OLO Public Network Incumbent Public Network Switch Switch A B C PointOfPresence PointOfPresence Point of Interconnection Logical Interconnection A At OLO Point of Presence B In Between (In-Span Interconnect)CAt Incumbent Point of Presence Physical Interconnection Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  7. Advantages Standard Installation Processes for Link Standard Maintenance Processes for Link Standard Deliver Time Scales for Link Standard Cost/Price Disadvantages “Collocation” for Other Operator but probably on a smaller scale Customer Sited Other Licenced Operator’s POP (Switch or Base Station) Incumbent Operator’s POP (Telephone Exchange) Standard Incumbent Private Circuit (Multiples of 2Mbit/s) Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  8. Collocation Site Boundary Other Licenced Operator’s POP (Switch Location) Incumbent Operator’s POP (Telephone Exchange) OLO Cable Chamber OLO infrastructure • Advantages • Own local POP not required • Ability to address Local Loop access at a later stage • Disadvantages • Cost, access, security • Installation and Maintenance • Requires OLO Infrastructure Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  9. In-span Interconnect Other Licenced Operator’s POP (Switch or Base Station) Incumbent Operator’s POP (Telephone Exchange) Footway Box • Advantages • Each side bears its own costs • No premises sharing hence no security etc issues • Disadvantages • Requires OLO infrastructure Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  10. Points of Interconnection (POI) • “Interconnection with a major supplier will be ensured at any technically feasible point in the network.” (WTO Requirement) • Conveyance charges relate to specific POIs • Location of POI is very important for operators who build their own network – they don’t want to pay the other party for carriage they could do themselves • Hence it is important for new operators to know what POIs will be available. Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  11. Gateway I/C S3 T2 T2 Trunk I/C S2 S2 T2 T1 T1 T1 Area Local I/C S1 S1 S1 A A A Conveyance Charge Structure Example: Conveyance charge = S2+T2+S2+T1+A S = Switch T = Transmission A = Access Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  12. National Fixed terminating*International terminatingOperator services, 112 Mobile terminating Mobile terminating Mobile terminating Conveyance Services New Operator (e.g. Mobile) Incumbent Fixed Network Mobile Network • National Fixed Termination may include: • Local terminationSingle Tandem terminationsDouble Tandem termination Each operator is responsiblefor traffic they receive viainterconnect link Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  13. OLO Requirements Interconnection • Operator installation practice (joint working manual) • Key dates • Switch details (location, type and data build level) • Transmission details (routes, technology, uni- or bi-directional, bulk rates) • Statements of information to be supplied by each operator (e.g. traffic forecasts) • Type of call conveyance and services required • Switch connections Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  14. Other Key Aspects (1) • Channel requirements • The capacity of the interconnect link is dimensioned in multiples of 2Mbit/sec • Forecasts of traffic flows to and from the OLO are vital to dimensioning the infrastructure to future requirements • Capacity is separated into traffic routes according to conveyance and service requirements (RIO defines service types) • Quality of Service • There is currently no agreed quality of service framework across the telecommunications industry for Interconnection • Service level agreements are designed to ensure that services by each party are to agreed quality of service levels. • They should support customer requirements and take into account technical and network performance parameters. Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  15. Other Key Aspects (2) • Billing • Different from retail billing in that it is routeing specific • Call conveyance charges are scheduled in the Interconnect Agreement for each service. • Each party is usually obliged to supply the other with billing information (weekly is usual) to support billing charges. • Interconnect bills must be verified, just like normal subscriber bills • Opening Day Requirements • New OLOs usually require only a skeleton network initially. • An initial minimum of 2 x 2Mbit systems on each route is required for signalling. • These two signalling links will support up to 40x2 Mbit/s traffic channels • Possible to have a separate signalling network option Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  16. Numbering • “Numbering” (as an address mechanism) is essential to interconnection • Numbers are a scarce resource and their allocation must be managed in a controlled and transparent basis • It is typically the responsibility of the Regulator to • Create a numbering plan • Manage the allocation and recovery of numbers • Plan and manage changes to the numbering plan • Key considerations: • Stability and Integrity • Structure (short codes, premium rates etc) • Conformity with International requirements • Cost, timescales and PR for transition Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  17. Collocation and Facility Sharing • The regulator should encourage sharing of facilities and/or property • Agreements are normally commercial and technical between the parties • The regulator would usually intervene in case of dispute • After public consultation a regulator may impose facility or property sharing Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  18. Scope of sharing • Masts • Allows second operator to rollout network faster • Requires rules for access, safety, loading etc • Widely mandated (e.g. Bahrain) • Ducts • Often not feasible or prohibitively expensive to install new ducts • Widely mandated (e.g. Singapore) • Affects rollout speed of both national and local network • Exchange space • Essential for access to unbundled local loop • Usually implies significant overhead (e.g. access controls to preserve security) Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  19. The RIO • The RIO is a key tool for the Regulator to ensure transparency in the interconnect process • Produced by dominant operators in compliance with guidelines set by Regulator • A binding set of guidelines for Interconnection Agreements • A basis for an Interconnection Agreement between operators • Can be Outline or prescriptive • Covers technical, operational and cost aspects of interconnect • Usually structured as an agreement with appended service definitions and a separate procedures manual (Joint Working Manual) Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  20. Interconnection • The quintessential point of the agreement is that the parties will “connect and keep connected their networks….” • We need to consider inter-alia: • Where the networks are interconnected • How they are interconnected • Who pays the cost of interconnection • Who pays for alterations Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  21. Points of Interconnection – where? • Interconnecting operator has the right to require interconnection at any reasonable point in the incumbent’s network • Reasonable notice of intent to interconnect • Exchange of information between the parties • PoIs agreed and listed Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  22. Points of Interconnection – how? • Physical interconnection provided by any convenient means • Co-location aspects to be agreed • Exchange of information between the parties • Engineering standards and operating guidelines shall be agreed Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  23. Scope of Services • From interconnecting operator • Ordinary directly dialled • Emergency • Information (DQ etc) • From incumbent • Call from incumbent to operator • International calls Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  24. Capacity/Forecasts • Parties to give each other capacity forecasts • Rolling programme • Payment if forecast not met? Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  25. Billing and Payment Each party: • collects charges made to the end-customer • keeps accounts • bills • pays the bill of the other party Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  26. Regulator ProducesInterconnect Guidelines RegulatorapprovesRIO Dominant OperatorProduces RIO Dominant Operatorand OLO produceInterconnectionAgreement Interconnections in operation Dominant Operatorand OLO implement Interconnection RIO Process • Issues • Dealing with delay in RIO, what are Regulator’s powers? • Minimum requirements for RFA? POIs and rates? • Reality • Interconnections are often operational before agreements and RIO are in place! RFA Issue Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

  27. Summary Issues to be addressed: • Indicative POI and conveyance rates • Numbering Plan • Indicative availability of collocation • Indicative availability of other infrastructure sharing • RIO Timescales • Further Information - The Regulatory Reform Unit of the ITU has a self-learning module on Interconnection: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/treg/ Doc Ref 00712/PN/774.1

More Related