Access and Interconnection
Access and inter-connection services form a central component of our service portfolio. We have assisted regulators and operators across the world on a wide range of Access and Inter-connection issues and have direct hands-on experience and know-ledge of this subject.
Case Studies
- Gibraltar - Developed reference unbundling offer for Gibtelecom
We undertook an end-to-end project including review of network capacity, definition - more - Poland - Introduction of the 2003 EU Electronic Communications Directives
Reviewed legislation and regulatory practices in the areas of access and interconenction, dispute resolution, public consu-ltations - more - Bangladesh - Interconnection support to BTRC
GOS Consulting led the interconnection activities in a World Bank funded project - more
The structure, definition and pricing of access and interconnection has a significant impact on the level and nature of competition that is developed in a country.
Proportionality and transparency are key in this area, both are equally important to the regulated dominant operator and the new market competitors. The investment and market entry decisions made are based on the regulated access and interconnection regime in the country therefore regulators and governments need to consider the likely effect of decisions made in this area.
Although pricing of access and interconnection is often considered the most important issue, technical and operational aspects could prove equally important as recognized recently by Ofcom in the UK. Ofcom decided that BT, the regulated operator, must operate it's access business separately from its retail business.
GOS Consulting has assisted many regulators and governments in setting up interconnection regulations, service propositions and supporting processes. We have also worked extensively in the ongoing development and management of interconnect regulation to reflect market and technological developments. The introduction of Next Generation Networks (NGN) and Next Generation Access (NGA) are prime examples of how access and interconnection regulation must change to accommodate technological progress.
GOS Consulting also assists operators in this area. Operators subject to regulation need to understand how best to comply with the regulations and, in some cases, how to reduce the level of regulatory intervention in this area. Also, competing operators seek to use regulated access and interconnection to develop their retail offerings and often require support in selecting and deploying the best interfaces for their needs.
Our range of access and interconnection services for governments and regulators include:
- Development of Access and Interconnection regulations
- Specifications of Access and Interconnection services and processes
- Fixed/Mobile voice interconnection
- Private circuits
- Local Loop Unbundling (LLU)
- Wholesale Line Rental /Single Billing
- Bit-Stream
- Co-Location
- NGN/NGA regulation and interconnection
- Service costing and pricing
- Service Level Agreements
- Development of Access and Interconnection Reference Offers (RO's)
- Cost modelling (FAC, LRIC and other methodologies)
- Dispute Resolution
- Compliance audits
- Writing and managing public consultations
- Drafting directions and regulatory instruments
Our consultants have worked within operators' and service providers' organisations to create and manage interconnection and wholesale functions and have advised and assisted on a variety of specific Access and Interconnection matters.
Our portfolio of Access and Interconnection services for operators and service providers include:
- NGN / NGA access and interconnection requirements
- Responses to consultation documents
- Cost modelling
- Product and process development
- Regulatory lobbying
- Negotiation and implementation of interconnection
- Interconnection optimization
- Least-cost routing
- Access strategy development & review
- Inter-operator negotiations
Services
- Regulatory Policy and Strategy
- Market liberalization and regulatory reform
- Development of Regulatory Authority
- Development and implementation of regulatory tools and guidelines
- Market Analysis and Competition Studies
- Defining relevant markets and conducting dominance analysis
- Definition of dominance criteria and market analysis process
- Investigation into competition disputes, including: anti-competitive pricing, margin squeeze, abuse of retail date in whole sale markets, and, other relevant competition investigations
- Access & Interconnection
- Development of Access & Interconnection Policy
- Development of reference offer for Access & Interconnection
- Development of inter-operator processes and procedures
- Development and documentation of interconnection services and interfaces, including: Number Portability, Local Loop Unbundling, Indirect Access (Carrier Selection and Carrier Pre-Selection, Wholesale Line Rental)
- Cost Modelling and Price Regulation
- Building and populating component costing models for fixed and mobile (FAC, HCA, CCA, LRIC,..)
- Development of cost-based charges
- Development of retail pricing regulation and index-related price caps
- Specification and implementation of Regulated Accounts and Accounting Separation
- Licensing
- Development of licensing framework
- Drafting of licence text
- Conducting licensing processes fixed/mobile, (including Fixed Wireless Access (i.e. WiMax) and 3G), beauty contest/auctions
- Public Consultations and Compliance
- Developing consulting framework
- Writing and conducting public consultations
- Reviewing consultation responses and development of policy recommendations
- Corporate & Business Strategy
- Business Management & Operations