Authority wants to hear peoples’ views on the proposed new telecommunication and spectrum rules
Authority wants to hear peoples’ views on the proposed new telecommunication and spectrum rules
The newly established FSM Telecommunication Regulation Authority wants to hear peoples’ views on the proposed new telecommunication and spectrum rules.
The Authority was established by Congress to develop rules that promote effective competition as well as to protect the interest of consumers, and then to ensure that the telecommunication providers abide by the rules.
“Our first priority is to establish the rules that will govern the telecommunication companies – both FSMTC and the cable operator FSMTCC – as well as any new providers that might want to operate in the FSM. We have today put out a first draft for consultation”, the Authority Chair and CEO Mr Takuro Akinaga said.
The Authority acknowledges that much of the proposed rules cover technical areas which will be of primary interest to the telecommunication operators – the requirement for operators to be licensed, the rules relating to how competing operators can access each other’s infrastructure to ensure that customers can get efficiently priced services, and the rules governing the use and allocation of phone numbers so that phone numbers were available for a new provider and its potential customers. However, the Authority notes there are matters that should be of interest to the people of FSM.
“Our proposed rules address a matter that we know people are often concerned about when thinking about competition in the FSM, and that is whether a new provider could provide services in only the most profitable part of FSM and not the other areas where FSMTC provide services. We are proposing a ‘no cherry picking’ rule – if a provider wants to provide mobile services in Pohnpei it must provide similar services on the main islands in Chuuk, Yap and on Kosrae”, Mr Akinaga said.
“We are also proposing to establish basic consumer service standards that any customer is entitled to receive – for example, clear and concise billing invoices that accurately reflect the services the customer has used over that billing period, and a requirement that every telecommunication operator must have complaints resolution processes with its customers and these can be monitored by the Authority to ensure they operate effectively”, Mr. Akinaga said.
The Authority will be funded through license related fees charged to telecommunication operators and spectrum holders. The proposed fees have been benchmarked against similar regulator structures in other Pacific nations and compare well. “The TRA is committed to being a lean and cost effective organization, but nonetheless we will need fees to undertake our role and we think the proposed fees are as low as we can set them, if we are to advance the long term interests of consumers”, Mr. Akinaga said.
“We’re calling for the people of FSM to share their thoughts with us . We have released a summary paper available [here-hyperlink] and a form which can be filled out and sent to the Authority [here-hyperlink].
Submissions should be emailed to consultations@tra.fm
The deadline for feedback is 5pm on 24 July 2019.”
For press follow up on this Press release
Contact Mr. Takuro Akinaga
Email: takuro.akinaga@tra.fm
Phone(691) 320 2812
