The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will hold a public inquiry to review the domestic mobile terminating access service (MTAS) declaration.
The MTAS is a wholesale input, used by providers of calls from fixed–line and mobile networks, in order to complete (terminate) calls to mobile subscribers connected to other networks.
Under current commercial arrangements, the network owner which originates a call to a mobile network will, generally, purchase the MTAS from the network owner which completes the call. The originating network owner will recover these costs, and the costs it incurs from originating the call, through the retail price it charges its directly connected end-user for providing the call. This commercial arrangement is typically referred to as the calling party pays model.
The inquiry will determine whether the declaration of the MTAS should be re-made, extended, revoked, varied or allowed to expire.
Under the Trade Practices Act 1974 the ACCC is required to conduct a review of the MTAS declaration prior to 30 June 2009, when the declaration is due to expire.
The discussion paper issued today identifies issues relevant to the review and seeks comments on particular aspects of the MTAS, related markets and the impact of regulation on these markets. The discussion paper will be available on the ACCC's website.
To assist its decision, the ACCC is seeking submissions on its discussion paper from stakeholders and interested parties by 5 pm, Friday 30 January 2009. The ACCC expects to issue a draft report setting out its preliminary findings early in 2009.
For media inquiries to the ACCC Chairman, Mr Graeme Samuel, Mr Ed Willett, Commissioner or Mr Michael Cosgrave, Group General Manager, Communications Group, please call Ms Lin Enright, ACCC Media, on (02) 6243 1108 or 0414 613 520.
For general inquiries, please call the Infocentre: 1300 302 502.