ACCC begins consulting on regulation of mobile terminating access services

摘要

A public inquiry has been launched by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) with a view to determining whether to extend, vary or revoke the domestic mobile terminating access service (MTAS) declaration, or whether to make a new declaration. Announcing the start of the inquiry, the regulator noted that the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 requires it to review the current declaration in the 18 months before it expires on 30 June 2019. Saying that the country's mobile industry had changed 'significantly' since the current declaration was made in 2014, it highlighted the increased use of over-the-top (OTT) services, as well as the introduction of VoLTE and voice-over-Wi-Fi (VoWiFi) calling by all of the nation's cellcos. The ACCC has suggested the public inquiry will assist it in determining whether the MTAS should remain a 'declared', or regulated, service.