TCF Broadsheet - July

• Richard's Message
• Community Engagement Guidelines
• Customer Transfer Code Due Out for Consultation
• Work on Information Reporting Continues
• Number Portability

Richard Westlake, TCF Chair

Richard's Message

The TCF is preparing a submission on the Ministry of Economic Development’s (MED) Copyright Section 92a Review Policy Proposal. The proposal on the contentious section was released earlier this month for feedback from a select group of rights holders, ISPs, government and industry groups.

It seeks “a fair and efficient process for rights-holders to deal with repeat copyright infringement in the digital environment.” The MED says it attempts to address internet user, rights holder and ISP concerns raised about this section of the Copyright Act 1994, which makes ISPs responsible for terminating the accounts of repeat copyright offenders.

The proposal focuses on ensuring “subscriber access to due process in cases of alleged infringement, and … consider[ing] the role of ISPs in curbing copyright infringement that is facilitated through their networks.”  Submissions are due in by 7 August.

Meanwhile, TCF is rebranding – we have a new logo and we’re updating our website. Plus, we have begun advertising for a new CEO. The role demands a special person – one capable of creating a vision for the Forum and building trust between regulators and the industry. He or she would also need to enhance the self-regulatory aspects of our work, and advocate on behalf of members and the industry. Applications close 7 August. Find out more about this key role.   

Community Engagement Guidelines

A perceived gap between Resource Management Act (RMA) consultation requirements on new wireless telecommunications sites, and community and local body expectations has resulted in the release of draft TCF guidelines for community engagement. These guidelines cover the circumstances in which wireless network operators should consult the public, and when and how they should do so. 

The RMA and local authority district plans govern community engagement, but evidence suggests a number of communities and local authorities believe more could and should be done.

Lack of Uniformity 

Some operators have established practices for community engagement, but as yet there is no uniformity on when it’s necessary, how much information should be provided, or how it should be done. Clearly stated industry standards will allow communities, councils and central government to have realistic expectations of wireless operators’ consultation processes on new sites.  

The Community Engagement Guidelines drafted by the TCF working group aim to standardise and enhance the way operators engage with people living in areas zoned and occupied for residential purposes, and managers of public facilities near the location of new or upgraded wireless sites.

They also aim to ensure the public gets accurate information about sites, and to help operators communicate effectively with other interested parties sites.

What the Guidelines Won’t Do

The guidelines aren’t designed to replace any district plan, RMA or national environmental standards provisions. Nor are they intended to change or prevent construction of new sites as a result of community engagement, unless an operator decides they should.  

The draft Community Engagement Guidelines were issued on 9 July 2009, and the closing date for submissions is 5pm, 20 August 2009. Those wishing to make a submission should contact the Forum Administrator.  

Customer Transfer Code Due Out for Consultation

The Customer Transfer Code working party has almost completed drafting the code, which will soon go out for consultation.  

The working party will provide an update on the code at the next TCF Dialogue session, to be held in Auckland on 11 August. Workshops will also be held in Wellington and Auckland as part of the public consultation process.

 Work on Information Reporting Continues

Since April, when the TCF Information Reporting working party completed a report outlining concerns over current broadband quality reporting, it has met with the Commerce Commission to discuss the issues and consider where short-term improvements might be made.  

Changes to the recent Q1/09 New Zealand Broadband Quality Report have improved it, according to the working party. A new table shows each city’s sync speeds and explains why one city’s results are better than another’s. The accompanying text explains the influence of the backhaul factor and interleaving. Time of day variability reporting – a factor in broadband consumer experience – has been improved, along with new availability reporting. Finally, the already useful methodology appendix has been expanded to include a data processing section.

The working party believes some changes to the Q1/09 New Zealand Broadband Quality Report are not beneficial.  One of these is the discontinuation of the international comparison. Another is the impact of caching: the reporting has tried to use HTTP measurements as a proxy for download throughput measurements, but the two tests are not the same and the working party believes it would be better to separate the two concepts. With the new national and international download performance reporting, as above, the reporting has tried to use HTTP measurements to proxy download throughput measurements.

Process Begun in 2008

In November 2008 the TCF Board agreed to extend the Information Reporting working party’s project scope. This allowed it to identify current broadband monitoring issues and recommend solutions for ensuring collected information is accurate, robust and useful to industry and end-users alike.

The working party’s report went to the Commerce Commission in April. It set out current issues and made recommendations in five key areas for:

• identifying current testing issues and providing testing options more appropriate to  yielding accurate, useful broadband performance measurements;
• defining issues for gathering adequate data from a random population sample that would allow robust conclusions about the wider population’s experience;
• identifying issues and risks arising from current methods of collecting broadband performance data, and options for improving them;
• achieving timely, flexible and meaningful presentation and disclosure of broadband performance information that meets a range of consumer needs, including options that consider approaches used by overseas agencies; and
• educating customers by raising consumer awareness of drivers and influences on broadband performance, considering any appropriate practices used by overseas regulators.

The TCF working party will continue working with the Commission to address concerns raised in the TCF's April report.  

 Number Portability

Number portability allows subscribers to change local or mobile phone companies while keeping the same number. They can choose the company that suits their needs best, without having to disrupt business or incur the costs of reprinting stationery and advertising new numbers. 

Successful introduction of number portability was a technical achievement for industry members, and also promoted healthy competition between telecommunications companies.

Contact Information

If you require further information please contact the Forum Administrator. 

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