NICTA: Public consultation on Reference Interconnection Offer from PNG DataCo LTD on various Wholesale Access Services

NICTA has put up a public consultation on RIO from PNG DataCo on various wholesale access services on the August 19th, 2020.

The public consultation paper can be accessed via the link below.

https://www.nicta.gov.pg/2020/08/cp-0-14/

The consultative paper is in regard to a 'reference interconnection offer' put forward by DataCo.

The Reference Interconnection Offer is an offer document setting out matters relating to the price, and terms and conditions, under which DataCo will permit the interconnection of another carrier to its network. A RIO aims to provide and facilitate new entrants with sufficient information about a dominant carrier’s or another carrier’s network to assist it in its decision-making processes, and to provide a baseline for negotiating an interconnection agreement.

DataCo has divided wholesale access into five (5) different services, each with its own capacity, unit pricing per monthly basis, and conditions.

• Wholesale Internet Service (WIS)
• Domestic P2P Metro (up to 1km) over Fibre delivered to Customer Premises
• Domestic P2P Metro (more than 1 km) - over Fibre delivered to Customer Premises
• Domestic P2P Longhaul (DP2P-LH) over Fibre delivered to Customer Premises
• International P2P (IP2P) over Subsea Fibre delivered to at the CLS

Here is the updated (as of July 1st 2020) schedule of pricing for wholesale access services with details (Attachment B of the RIO). Note: this information is extracted from this consultative paper shared here for information purposes.

End-users (consumers) are hoping that lower prices at wholesale level will reflect at the retail end. 

The key matters associated with the RIO which NICTA considers should be highlighted are: 

• a.The form and minimum requirements of the RIO 
• b.Previous involvement in this RIO by NICTA
• c.Services covered in the RIO
• d.Relationship between the RIO and the proposed amendment to the Service-Specific Pricing Principles (Submarine Cable Services) Determination 2019

Each of these matters is discussed in the consultative paper and NICTA is inviting interested parties to consider and comment on the RIO.