Telekom-Control-Commission sets interconnection fees for 2001

Off-peak rates generally remain unchanged

Press release dated 27 June 2001

In its session on June 22, 2001, Austria's Telekom-Control-Commission set new interconnection fees for the year 2001. The fees take effect as of April 1, 2001, and will remain in force until June 30, 2002. Starting March 31, 2002, the interconnection fees are to be re-negotiated among Austria's network operators. "Technical advances and measures to increase the efficiency of Telekom Austria AG's network have allowed the Telekom-Control Commission to reduce local interconnection fees sustainably, which is an especially favorable measure for alternative network operators", commented Dr. Heinrich Otruba, managing director of the Telecommunications Division of RTR GmbH and spokesperson for the Commission.

As defined in previous decisions, interconnection fees are not determined according to traffic volumes but on the basis of the time of day. For similar services, the principle of reciprocity will still be applied, i.e. fees for similar services have to be equal, regardless of whether calls terminate in an alternative network or in Telekom Austria AG's network.

"The interconnection fees of an SMP operator, in this case Telekom Austria AG, are based on the legal fundamentals set forth in the Austrian Telecommunications Act and the Interconnection Ordinance, and they have to be cost-related", said Otruba in explaining the Commission's decisions.

Minute-based rates for peak and off-peak times

In determining rates, peak and off-peak times were differentiated, as was the case last year. Peak calling times are Monday to Friday between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm, while off-peak times are Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, as well as Monday to Friday from 6:00 pm to 8:00 am.

Peak termination fees reduced, off-peak fees remain the same

Termination fees, or the costs of transferring a call to an external network, were reduced from ATS 0.140 (peak) to ATS 0.125 (peak) for local termination. Local off-peak fees will remain the same at ATS 0.070 (off-peak). The fees for regional termination were reduced from ATS 0.210 (peak) to ATS 0.191 (peak), while the off-peak rate will remain the same at ATS 0.100. The difference between peak and off-peak rates was reduced in order to prevent a major shift in call traffic to the off-peak times. National termination fees will also remain the same at ATS 0.310 (peak) and ATS 0.120 (off-peak).

Transit

Regional transit fees essentially remained unchanged from last year at ATS 0.040 (peak) and 0.021 (off-peak) .
Peak fees for national transit were increased from ATS 0.070 to ATS 0.085.
Transit is necessary in cases where two networks are not directly interconnected (e.g., in order to connect two customers of alternative network operators). The transit network then performs an intermediary function between two such networks.

Peak origination fees reduced, off-peak fees unchanged

For local origination, i.e. the transfer of a call from an external network into an operator's own network, the Telekom-Control-Commission lowered rates from ATS 0.140 (peak) to ATS 0.125; likewise, regional peak origination fees were reduced from ATS 0.210 to ATS 0.191. All other origination fees - off-peak origination (regional and national) as well as peak origination (national) will remain unchanged from last year.