Telekom-Control Commission regulates access to online services

Interconnection fees for 07189x number range have been fixed

Press release dated 24 May 2000

In the meeting of 22 May 2000, the Telekom-Control Commission unanimously regulated access to online services of the 07189x number range, connected in the Telekom Austria network, as well as the interconnection fees due for such access. The parties to this procedure are Telekabel Wien GmbH and Telekom Austria AG. The arrangement expires on 31 December 2000.

This decision of the Telekom-Control Commission places Telekom Austria under the obligation to enable the customers of the interconnection partner (Telekabel), within three weeks after the official notice takes effect, to access online services which, as already mentioned above, are accessed by means of a 07189x number of the TA network .

In line with the principle of non-discrimination pursuant to art. 34 sec. 1 TKG (Telecommunications Act), all alternative network operators now have the opportunity to obtain access to online services of the 07189x number range under equivalent conditions by making a request to TA.

Peak and off-peak fees depending on the interconnection level

For tariffing purposes, peak and off-peak times as well as traffic interconnection at the regional and local levels have been distinguished. The peak times refer to calls made from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Off-peak times are from 6 p.m. till 8 a.m. as well as on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

If, for lack of interconnection at the local network level, the traffic is interconnected in a regional exchange, the interconnection partner will have to pay a termination fee of ATS 0.21 (peak) and ATS 0.10 (off-peak), respectively. For interconnection of traffic at the local level ATS 0.12 (peak) and ATS 0.04 (off-peak) will be charged. The fees are calculated on the basis of seconds of established connections.

Reducing the network load by interconnection at the local network level

The notice issued by the Telekom-Control Commission places Telekom Austria furthermore under the obligation to ensure access to online numbers of the 07189x range from other networks at the local network level. Alternative network operators are advised to interconnect online traffic at a local network level. This is intended to reduce the load at the regional exchange level.

“In the year of the Internet, the Telekom-Control Commission gave Internet access a critical impetus with this provision", says Dr. Heinrich Otruba about the decision, in his capacity as spokesman of the Telekom-Control Commission. "A better supply of reasonably priced and innovative telecommunications services is thus available to the population and alternative network operators can now compete in the field of online services".