INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AUTHORITY

1^st Floor, Jade House, Cnr Remy Ollier &  Jummah Mosque Streets,

Port Louis,  MAURITIUS

No. ICTA/IUC/TO/05/2004                                                                         20 September, 2004

THE TELECOMMUNICATION ORDER (5 of 2004)

In exercise of the powers conferred upon it under section 17 (3) of the Information & Communication Technologies Act 2001, the Information & Communication Technologies Authority (hereinafter referred to as the Authority) hereby issues the following Directive in respect of:-

a)      Interconnection usage charges (IUC) for inter-mobile network calls, and calls from a fixed network to a mobile network.

b)      Price caps for calls from the fixed network to the mobile network, and for inter-mobile network calls.

1.                  Short title, extent and commencement:

a)      This Directive shall be referred to as “The Telecommunication Order (5 of 2004)”.

b)      The Directive shall come into force on 1^st October 2004.

 2.        Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC) for:

a)      inter mobile network calls

i.                         The mobile operators shall enter into bilateral agreements based on the Interconnection Usage Charge (IUC) prescribed in this order and file the same with the Authority.

ii.                       The Interconnection Usage Charge (IUC) and other charges payable by each operator for the inter-mobile network calls shall be as specified in Schedule I hereto.

b)   calls from a fixed network to a mobile network

i.                         The fixed line operators shall enter into bilateral agreements with mobile operators based on the Interconnection Usage Charge (IUC) prescribed in this order and file the same with the Authority.

ii.                       The Interconnection Usage Charge (IUC) and other charges payable by each operator for the calls from a fixed network to a mobile network shall be as specified in Schedule I hereto.

Note: The Authority may, from time to time, review and modify the Interconnection Usage Charge.

3.    Pricing and Billing

3.1              Price caps for calls from the fixed network to the mobile network and for inter-    mobile network calls

a)      There shall be no charge to the subscriber (mobile or fixed) in respect of any call received.

b)      The existing tariff for calls from:-

i.                         a fixed line phone to a mobile phone; and

ii.                       a mobile phone to another mobile phone on a different mobile network,

may be reviewed by the respective operators for the purpose of aligning it with the IUC prescribed in Schedule I hereto.

3.2     Billing Pattern

a)      The billing pattern (tariff plan/pulse rate) shall be as currently applicable, i.e.:-

i.                        Fixed to mobile calls

Per minute basis for the first minute or part thereof, and, per second basis thereafter

ii.                      Inter-mobile calls

a.            Prepaid

Per half-minute basis for the first half-minute or part thereof, and, per second basis thereafter

b.            Post paid

   Per half-minute basis.

3.3       Any new package(s) shall be submitted to the Authority for approval.

 3.4     A computation of the maximum tariff with the application of CPP is given in Schedule II.

4.         Filing of Tariffs

            The mobile and the fixed line operators shall file their new tariffs under this Telecommunication Order with the Authority for approval by 24^th September 2004.

5.    Explanatory Memorandum

This Order contains at Annexure A an explanatory memorandum.

6.    Consequential amendment

                     This order supersedes all provisions in previous Telecommunication Orders issued by the Authority governing:-

a)      Interconnection usage charges and tariffs for inter-mobile network calls; and

b)      Interconnection usage charges and tariffs for calls from a fixed network to a mobile network.

BY ORDER

N. Parameswaran

Executive Director

To:

               i.            Cellplus Mobile Communications Limited, 9th Floor, Telecom Tower, Port Louis.

ii.             Emtel Limited, 1, Boundary Road, Rose Hill.

iii.            Mauritius Telecom Limited, 18^th Floor, Telecom Tower, Port Louis

iv.           Mahanagar Telephone (Mauritius) Ltd, 28 Goyaviers Avenue, Quatre-Bornes

 Telecommunication Order No. 5 of 2004

Schedule I

Telecommunication Order No. 5 of 2004

Schedule II

COMPUTATION OF MAXIMUM COST TO SUBSCRIBER WITH CPP

(1)  FIXED TO MOBILE CALLS

(2)  INTER-MOBILE NETWORK CALLS

Annexure A

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1.  In April 2004, Government took the decision to implement Calling Party Pays (CPP) in Mauritius as from 1^st October 2004.

2.  With CPP, no subscriber will pay for receiving a call. All the call charges will be borne by the originator of the call, i.e., the Calling Party. The call originating network operator will collect the charges for the call and remit the applicable interconnection charge to the network operator on whose network the call is terminated.

3.  Interconnection Usage Charge (IUC)

A consultation exercise was carried out on CPP with the assistance of an international consultant firm, Ovum Holdings Ltd, London, United Kingdom. Ovum had a number of working sessions with operators and the ICT Authority before submitting its final report. The report was discussed with the mobile and fixed operators. The costing methodologies and the call termination cost arrived at were explained to them. Representations made by the operators were sent to Ovum for their comments. Ovum amended its report in the light of these representations and the final call termination cost was arrived at.

The cost for call termination in the two existing mobile networks has been calculated and the prescribed IUC arrived at on the basis of the calculation and the consultation exercise.