The Australian Communications Authority has decided to require pre-selection for calls originating
on a fixed network and terminating on a mobile network.
The ACA, which is responsible for regulating
telecommunications and radio communications in Australia, said fixed-to-mobile services should be included by June
30 in the current single basket of pre-selectable services available to consumers.
The current system allows
customers to select one service provider as their default provider for national long-distance, international, operator-
assisted and ring-back services. The system does not allow customers to pre-select different carriers for each different
service. However, customers can use override dial codes to select an individual provider for each pre-selectable service
on a call-by-call basis.
The ACA today is considering multibasket pre-selection, which would allow customers to
select different providers for individual services.
The latest decision means customers making calls from a fixed
phone to a mobile phone will be able to choose which telecommunications carrier will handle the fixed network
component of that call. The ACA said it believes the decision will allow new entrants to compete more effectively with
Telstra, the partially privatized national telecommunications company in Australia. Telstra provides more than 95
percent of originating services in Australia and terminates about half of all fixed-to-mobile calls, according to the
ACA.
“This decision gives new entrants and consumers the opportunity to benefit from competition in a
greater range of services in the explosive mobile segment of the industry,” said Tony Shaw, chairman of the
ACA. “The ACA believes this decision also will allow new entrants to compete more effectively with Telstra by
better matching its product range, and by putting downward pressure on prices to the benefit of all
consumers.”
The ACA estimated fixed-to-mobile revenues at about $640 million and said the new
requirement could save end users about $17.3 million per year.
All participating suppliers of pre-selectable services
will be required to negotiate arrangements with carriers, including Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, for carrying fixed-to-
mobile calls, said the ACA.
The ACA also released an update to its March 1998 Report on Technical Options for
Mobile Number Portability in Australia, which addresses the issues raised by providing number portability across
networks that use different technologies.
“Overseas evidence suggests that mobile number portability could be
introduced more quickly by initially limiting it to a single number only for a specified service and not where a range of
mobile numbers are associated with a range of mobile services,” said Shaw.
“The ACA favors a single
implementation date for mobile number portability, were portability to be required, provided that this does not cause
any undue delay in the provision of (Global System for Mobile communications) mobile number portability.”
