Section 16 in Intelligent Network Services in Multi Operator and Multi Network Scenario Regulations, 2006

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Union of India - Section

Section 16 in Intelligent Network Services in Multi Operator and Multi Network Scenario Regulations, 2006

16. Analysis of the issues. - The Authority has taken the various comments and inputs into consideration and analysed the matter in details. The views of the Authority on main issues are as follows :

(i)The Authority observed that most of the service providers are of the opinion that integrating SSP based on different technologies with an existing SCP of other operators may not be feasible at all times. Inter-working of SSP and SCP of different vendors may require software and hardware modification. This may be time consuming process. This may also add unnecessary cost to the operators. Because of this, most of the service providers are of the opinion that SSP and SCP are to be owned by the Service provider who is providing IN services and All access provider would hand over the 18xx(IN) calls as voice call to the closest POI switch designated for this purpose.

(ii)Authority has also noted the points made by the representatives of MTNL that integrating SSP based on different technologies with an existing SCP of other operators would be the final solution for all IN services. Authority has also noted that TEC GR does not define the capability set for SCP supporting all protocols at one platform. Therefore, operator may also require to implement different protocols for fixed line, wireless (WLL(M), WLL(F), Cellular) etc. Therefore Integrating SSP of one service provider with all SCP of all other service providers would be a time consuming process.

(iii)In view of the above, Authority is of opinion that exact implementation of the architecture should be left open to the operators. They themselves may decide the Architecture on caseby-case basis.

(iv)A crucial factor in favour of leaving architecture open for service providers is that IN service would get implemented quickly at least for Free Phone service and VCC. The Authority has also noted the technical difficulties in implementing location based Intelligent Network Services as well as provision of services through Intelligent Peripherals in case the architecture is specified. IN committee also recognised that Free Phone and VCC (Voice 16 Calling Cards) should be the first set of IN services to be implemented.

(v)Authority has also noted the fact that as of now all operators have dimensioned their IN resources as per their own requirements and subscribers base. Once it is opened for interconnection with other operators there may be requirement of more signalling links and other resources like enhancement of Intelligent Peripherals etc. In fact, requirement of signalling will increase substantially as many IN services rely more on signalling network i.e. tele-voting etc. There may also be some legacy switches in the incumbent's network which may require extensive up-gradation in hardware and software.

(vi)Therefore, Authority is of the opinion that one more month after agreement be required to the operators for implementing the IN in multi operator multi network scenario after their mutual agreement take place. Authority expects that at many places implementation may happen in a shorter span where switches do not require much up-gradation or no up-gradation at all.

(vii)Authority considered the fact that signalling information may cross the boundaries of the service area to make IN services available nationwide, it may lead to usage of SCPs of NLDOs by Basic Operators/CMSP/UASL as provision of the services by Access Provider is limited to their service areas only. Authority has also noted that as per license conditions NLDOs/ILDOs cannot access subscriber directly. In a communication to one of the NLDOs on 28.10.2005 the licensor had clarified that Toll Free number services and split charge (UAN) services by NLD operator is in contravention to the NLD license conditions because these services are subscriber based and an NLDO cannot directly access the subscriber in terms of clause 2.2 (a) of NLD license.

(viii)In this regard, submission has been received from one of the NLDOs on 15.09.06 wherein it was requested that decision on the subject of IN regulation should be in the perspective of its general applicability and need of the industry taking care of the interconnection issues of the IN network/services of the Long distance Service Providers as well. It further mentioned that any restriction on provision of IN based bearer services by the Long distance operators would tantamount to rewriting of the license provision of these Long Distance operators in terms of placing new prohibitions in the license.

(ix)Authority has taken note of the submissions of the NLDO and of the view that all service provider should provide the IN services as per terms and conditions of their Licenses and legal position and access the subscriber only if they are permitted to do so by the licensor.

(x)During the meeting with Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI), members of the Association mentioned that charging and revenue sharing guidelines for each type of the IN Services need to be specified. But for this purpose COAI has not been able to provide the relevant data for analyzing the above requirement, yet.

(xi)Authority has taken note of the fact that in general members of the Committee were of the opinion that charging, billing and sharing of the revenue depends on the service features and therefore, charging, billing and sharing of revenue for resources used for IN Services may be decided by the concerned service provider through mutual commercial arrangement. The Authority accordingly, accepts the suggestion of the Committee in this regard. However, Authority is also in the process of finalising the standard agreement which would be applicable if service providers are not able to arrive at mutually acceptable agreement within a specific time. Authority would also ask the relevant data from the service providers shortly.

(xii)IN Services as such, is not a separate class of Services Neither NTP' 99 recognizes this as a separate Service nor has licensor categorized it as a separate Service. It is only a different means of providing a service. Therefore, Interconnect Usage Charges (IUC) as applicable from time to time will apply for the IN services provided by operator in multi-operator multi-network scenario. Interconnect Agreement between Service Providers shall include Intelligent Network (IN) access.

(xiii)In the interest of security, the Service providers shall make suitable arrangement so that Service providers in mutual association can provide data records of all the calls handled by them as per the requirement of Security Agencies/License Conditions.

(xiv)During the meeting, members of the COAI have also raised issue of seeker and provider for IN Services. As mentioned above, IN service as such is not a separate class of service, it is only a means of providing advanced services. Therefore, there is no separate case of seeker and provider in this scenario. Present Point of Interconnection (POI) will continue for IN Services also. There would be only additional requirement of signalling links which may be mutually negotiated among the service providers.

(xv)As set of IN services currently defined are all Circuit Switched or Packet Switched Voice Services, the Quality of Service (QoS) already mandated for voice services, shall apply. Therefore, all Service Providers involved will be required to ensure that there shall be no dilution in the Quality of Service (QoS) standards applicable to the underlying Bearer Network.

(xvi)The Numbering plan for the IN Services shall be as per applicable National Numbering Plan (NNP). All Service Providers shall ensure that IN Services on Multi-Operator, Multi-Network platform are launched after getting adequate Access Code allocations from the NNP Administrator (Licensor).

APPENDIX-ITable 1In Services as Defined in TEC GR's

In Service	Paying Party	Old Levels	Level as per National Number Plan 2003	Network Charge	Information Charge	Rental/Revenue Share
Free phone(National)	Called	1-600	1-800	Yes	No	Rental
Universal Access (Local)	Calling	1-901	1-860	Yes	No	No
Universal Access (Long Distance)	Calling & Called	0-901	0-901	Yes	No	Rental
Virtual Private Networks (VPN)	Group ID	1-901	1-801	Yes	No	Rental according to VPN size
Tele-voting(Chargeable to caller)	Calling	1-902	1-803	Yes	No	Yes (subscriber)
Tele-voting(not chargeable to caller)	Caller	1-603	1-861	Yes	No	Yes (subscriber)
Prepaid calling (VCC, ACC, CCC)	Card	1-602 (VCC)	1-802 (VCC)	Yes	No	No
1-604 (ACC)	1-804 (ACC)		No	No
Premium Rate	Calling	0-900	0-900	Yes	Yes	Yes
Universal Personal Telecommunication	Calling & Called	0-902	0-902	Yes	No	Yes

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Union of India - Section

Section 16 in Intelligent Network Services in Multi Operator and Multi Network Scenario Regulations, 2006

16. Analysis of the issues. - The Authority has taken the various comments and inputs into consideration and analysed the matter in details. The views of the Authority on main issues are as follows :