Final determinations for backhaul services
The Commerce Commission has today released its final determinations on the price and non-price terms for the backhaul
services that support the unbundled copper local loop (UCLL) and unbundled bitstream (UBA) broadband services.
These services will allow Telecom's competitors to get access to transmission capacity between Telecom's local exchanges
or data switches, and the competitors' networks.
"Having backhaul for both the UCLL and UBA services available will allow companies to offer broadband and voice
services to their customers without having to build their own networks all the way to their customers. Instead,
telecommunications companies can use Telecom's network and pay Telecom a cost-based price for the service,"
Telecommunications Commissioner Dr Ross Patterson said today.
"Backhaul for UCLL is regulated only where Telecom faces limited competition. The Commission has determined that Telecom
currently faces competition in most North Island primary and secondary links of the UCLL Backhaul Service. The
Commission has however assessed that Telecom faces limited competition on most South Island primary and secondary
links."
"The regulation of these backhaul services will stimulate competition for retail customers, for the long term benefit of
those customers, as well as reducing unnecessary duplication in network costs. This is another important facet of
improving competition in broadband telecommunications markets," Dr Patterson said.
"These determinations have been set after consultation with the telecommunications industry," said Dr Patterson.
These determinations follow the Commission's final determinations for the UCLL and Co-location services released in
November 2007 and for the UBA Service released in December 2007. The Sub-loop Unbundling Determination is expected to be
released by the end of 2008.
The Summary of final determinations is contained in the attached pdf
The Commission's UCLL Backhaul and UBA Backhaul determinations and related documents, including executive summaries, can
be found on its web site www.comcom.govt.nz at:
www.comcom.govt.nz/IndustryRegulation/Telecommunications/StandardTermsDeterminations/UnbundledLocalLoopBackhaulService/DecisionsList.aspx
and
www.comcom.govt.nz/IndustryRegulation/Telecommunications/StandardTermsDeterminations/UnbundledBitstreamBackhaulService/DecisionsList.aspx
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Background
Unbundled bitstream access (UBA). The UBA service refers to the wholesale broadband service provided by Telecom from the
end-user to the first data switch (FDS), or equivalent facility, other than a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer
(DSLAM). It allows telecommunications companies to supply a range of broadband services to retail customers.
Basic UBA service. The Basic UBA service is an internet-grade 'best efforts' bitstream service, The Basic UBA service is
available with or without plain old telephone service (POTS).
Enhanced UBA service. The Enhanced UBA Service allow for the simultaneous delivery of both internet grade IP traffic and
real time grade IP traffic over a single UBA connection. There are three speeds of Enhanced UBA service (40 kbps, 90
kbps or 180 kbps), and each speed is available with or without POTS. Compared to the Basic UBA service, the Enhanced UBA
service offers a dedicated real time service, at all points of time, for each end-user.
UBA Backhaul. The UBA Backhaul service provides transmission capacity in Telecom's network between the trunk side of
Telecom's FDS that is connected to the end-user's building and the access seeker's nearest available point of
interconnection (ASNAPOI).
Unbundled copper local loop network (UCLL). The UCLL service refers to the wholesale service provided by Telecom from
the end-user's premises to Telecom's local exchange. It allows telecommunications companies to supply voice and
broadband services to retail customers without the need to replicate the local loop.
UCLL Backhaul. The 'unbundled copper local loop network backhaul (telephone exchange to interconnect point) service'
(UCLL Backhaul) provides transmission capacity in Telecom's network between the handover point in Telecom's local
telephone exchange and the ASNAPOI, for the purpose of providing access to, and interconnection with, Telecom's UCLL.
Standard Terms Determination (STD) process under the Telecommunications Act 2001 (Act). On 22 December 2006, the Act was
amended to incorporate a process for the Commission to make an STD on which a designated access or specified service
must be supplied by Telecom to all access seekers requesting the service. An STD includes non-price terms proposed by
Telecom, usually in consultation with access seekers, and price terms for access to the service set by the Commission.
It is intended that an STD should be comprehensive enough and contain sufficient detail so that there is no need for an
access seeker and access provider to enter into a separate agreement for provision of the service within the specified
timeframe.
Standard terms determinations for Telecom's UCLL service and UBA service were released in November and December 2007
respectively.
A STD for the UCLL co-location service was released in November 2007.
A brief overview of the key steps in a standard terms determination process is available on the Commission's web site at
StandardTermsDeterminations/ContentFiles/Documents/
Overview%20of%20STD%20process0.pdf
ENDS