Possible Revision of the Commission Decision on the minimum set of leased lines. Deadline: 31 March 2004

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1 EUROPEAN COMMISSION Information Society Directorate-General Communication Services: Policy and Regulatory Framework Policy development and regulatory framework Brussels, 3 March 2004 PUBLIC CALL FOR INPUT Possible Revision of the Commission Decision on the minimum set of leased lines Deadline: 31 March 2004 Address for comments: Infso-b1@cec.eu.int Commission européenne, B-1049 Bruxelles / Europese Commissie, B-1049 Brussel - Belgium. Telephone: (32-2)

2 1. INTRODUCTION The EU regulatory framework identifies a minimum set of leased lines with harmonised technical characteristics to be available in all Member States. In accordance with Article 18(3) of the Universal Service Directive the Commission may adopt amendments necessary to adapt the minimum set of leased lines to new technical developments and to changes in market demand, including the possible deletion of certain types of leased lines from the minimum set, acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 37(2) of the Universal Service Directive. The currently defined minimum set of leased lines is laid down in Commission Decision (2003/548/EC) on the minimum set of leased lines with harmonised characteristics and associated standards referred to in Article 18 of the Universal Service Directive, published in July (see Annex I). The Commission services are considering possible revisions of the minimum set of leased lines. Interested parties are invited to give their views in particular on the questions raised in section 2 of this document, and to comment on new technical developments and/or changes in market demand that might justify a change to the minimum set. Contributions will be published on the DG Information Society website, unless they are clearly marked Confidential not for publication. 1 OJ L 186, , p.43 2

3 2. QUESTIONNAIRE RELATED TO POSSIBLE REVISION OF THE COMMISSION DECISION ON THE MINIMUM SET OF LEASED LINES Question n 1 Deletion of certain leased line types from the minimum set Should certain leased line types (e.g. analogue leased lines, 64 kbit/s digital) be taken out from the minimum set of leased lines? Question n 2 Modification of the leased line types in the current minimum set, or of their technical specifications Should there be any modification of leased line types currently in the minimum set(e.g. technical specifications)? Question n 3 Addition of new leased line types to the minimum set Should certain type of high speed leased lines be added to the minimum set (e.g. higher speed leased lines such as those shown in Annex II)? 3

4 Annex I COMMISSION DECISION (2003/548/EC) of 24 July 2003 on the minimum set of leased lines with harmonised characteristics and associated standards referred to in Article 18 of the Universal Services Directive THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Directive 2002/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on universal service and users rights relating to electronic communications networks and services (Universal Service Directive) 2 and in particular 18(3) thereof, Whereas : (1) Article 18(3) of the Universal Service Directive provides for the publication of the minimum set of leased lines with harmonised characteristics, and associated standards, to be published in the Official Journal of the European Union as part of the List of standards referred to in Article 17 of Directive 2002/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services (Framework Directive) 3. (2) The minimum set of leased lines was defined in Annex II to Council Directive 92/44/EEC of 5 June 1992 on the application of open network provision (ONP) to leased lines 4, as last amended by Commission Decision 98/80/EC 5. That Directive was repealed with effect from 25 July 2003 by the Framework Directive. (3) This decision provides continuity of the legal basis for the minimum set of leased lines, for the purpose of implementation of the relevant provisions in the Framework Directive and the Universal Service Directive. The minimum set of leased lines in this Decision is the same as that in Directive 92/44/EEC, except that the references to European Telecommunications Standards (ETSs) have been replaced by references to European Standards (EN), as agreed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute in However, leased lines that comply with the previous ETS standards should continue to be deemed in accordance with the requirements for the minimum set of leased lines. (4) This Decision identifies the minimum set of leased lines with harmonised characteristics, and associated standards, and forms an integral part of the List of Standards published in accordance with Article 17 of the Framework Directive 2002/21/EC. The current version of the List of Standards, only containing voluntary provisions, was published in the Official Journal of the European Union in December For reasons of differences in procedure and in legal effect, it is appropriate to distinguish the chapters of the List of standards that include mandatory provisions in this decision, from those chapters that only include voluntary provisions. (5) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Communications Committee, OJ L 108, , p. 51. OJ L 108, , p. 33. OJ L 165, , p. 27. Directive as last amended by Commission Decision 98/80/EC (OJ L 14, , p. 27). OJ L 14, , p. 27. OJ C 331, , p

5 HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Sole Article The minimum set of leased lines with harmonised characteristics and associated standards are set out in the Annex. Done at Brussels, 24 July For the Commission Erkki Liikanen Member of the Commission 5

6 ANNEX List of Standards and/or Specifications For Electronic Communications Networks, Services And Associated Facilities And Services Mandatory Part Identification of the minimum set of leased lines 1. Purpose This publication identifies the minimum set of leased lines with harmonised characteristics and associated standards referred to in Article 18 of Directive 2002/22/EC (Universal Service Directive). This list forms part of the list of standards referred to in Article 17 of Directive 2002/21/EC (the Framework Directive). This publication is in addition to the List of Standards and/or specifications for electronic communications networks, services and associated facilities and services published in the Official Journal of the European Union in December Technical Standards The standards mentioned in this publication are ETSI deliverables under the current ETSI nomenclature. According to the ETSI Directives 8, these deliverables are defined as follows: European Standard (telecommunications series), EN: An ETSI deliverable containing normative provisions, approved for publication in a process involving the National Standards Organizations and/or ETSI National Delegations with implications concerning standstill and national transposition. Harmonized Standard: An EN (telecommunications series) the drafting of which has been entrusted to ETSI by a mandate from the European Commission under European Directive 98/48/EC (latest amendment to Directive 83/189/EEC) and has been drafted taking into account the applicable essential requirements of the "New Approach" Directive and whose reference has subsequently been announced in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 3. Addresses where documents referenced can be obtained. ETSI Publications Office 9 Postal address: France Telephone: F Sophia Antipolis Cedex or Fax Web site: publications@etsi.fr 4. References to EU Legislation The list refers to the following legislative documents which may be found at latory/index_en.htm - Directive 2002/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services (Framework Directive) [OJ L 108, , p. 33] - Directive 2002/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on Universal service and users rights relating to electronic communications networks and services (Universal Service Directive) [OJ L 108, , p. 51] The version of the standards referred to in this list is the version valid at the time that the list is published OJ C 331, , p. 32. Available at ETSI documents can be downloaded from the ETSI Publications Download Area ( 6

7 Identification Of The Minimum Set Of Leased Lines With Harmonised Characteristics And Associated Standards ANALOGUE LEASED LINES Leased Line Type Reference Notes Ordinary quality voice bandwidth (1) - 2 wire : ETSI EN or - 4 wire : ETSI EN Special Quality Voice Bandwidth (2) - 2 wire : ETSI EN or - 4 wire : ETSI EN and network interface presentation and network interface presentation (1) Leased lines meeting the requirements of ETS (2 wire) or ETS (4 wire) are deemed to comply with the requirements for this type of leased line. (2) Leased lines meeting the requirements of ETS (2 wire) or ETS (4 wire) are deemed to comply with the requirements for this type of leased line. DIGITAL LEASED LINES Leased Line Type Reference Notes 64 kbit/s (3) - ETSI EN ETSI EN kbit/s - E1 (unstructured) (4) - ETSI EN ETSI EN kbit/s - E1 ( structured ) (5) - ETSI EN ETSI EN (3) Leased lines meeting the requirements of ETS , ETS /A1 and ETS are deemed to comply with the requirements for this type of leased line. (4) Leased lines meeting the requirements of ETS , ETS and ETS /A1 are deemed to comply with the requirements for this type of leased line. (5) Leased lines meeting the requirements of ETS and ETS are deemed to comply with the requirements for this type of leased line. 7

8 Annex II Reference list for leased lines beyond the minimum set, provision of which was to be encouraged under the old Leased Lines Directive 92/44/EEC 10 The technical interfaces and/or service features listed in this chapter include those listed in Annex III to Directive 92/44/EEC. DIGITAL Technical Interfaces and/or service features Notes N x 64 kbit/s - ETSI EN Reference Notes and network interface presentation Comments: ETSI EN specifies connection characteristics and network interface presentation for multiple 64 kbit/s digital unrestricted leased lines with octet integrity presented at a structured kbit/s interface at either of both ends. Technical Interfaces and/or service features Reference Notes kbit/s - E3 - ETSI EN ETSI EN Comments: E3 is the market denomination for this type of leased line. The associated standard for terminal equipment is ETSI EN The attachment requirements for terminal equipment to be connected to these leased lines were specified in ETSI TBR kbit/s - E4 - ETSI EN ETSI EN Comments: E4 is the market denomination for this type of leased line. The associated standard for terminal equipment is ETSI ETS The attachment requirements for terminal equipment to be connected to these leased lines were specified in ETSI TBR 25. SDH VC-based leased digital bandwidth - ETSI EN ETSI EN Interface presentation Comments: ETSI EN specifies the technical requirements for leased line connections of SDH virtual containers, i.e. VC-4, VC-3, VC-2 and VC12. ETSI EN defines the functions relevant for the interface presentations of SDH leased lines with STM-1 ( kbit/s) in both electrical and optical forms and STM-4 ( kbit/s) in optical form. 10 OJ C 331, , p. 36 8