RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/GBT/W/1/Add.30
12February 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0529)
Original: Spanish Group onBasic Telecommunications
COMMUNICATION FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Draft Offer onBasic Telecommunications
Revision
Thefollowing communication iscirculated attherequest oftheDominican Republic tomembers
oftheGroup onBasic Telecommunications (GBT).
_______________
Pursuant totheSingapore Ministerial Declaration, theDominican Republic circulates thisoffer
inorder tocontribute tothesuccess ofthenegotiations onbasic telecommunications.
TheDominican Republic reserves therighttomodify ormake technical changes toitsoffer
andtocorrect anyerrors, omissions orinaccuracies.
1. Regulatory issues
The telecommunications regulatory body, which atthetime ofthisoffer, isthe
Directorate-GeneralofTelecommunications(DGT),specificallysupervisesregulatorymatterspertaining
tothesector, including theestablishment andenforcement ofregulations. Itisthecompetent body
nation-wide andisseparate from anyprivate telecommunications supplier. However, itdirectly
administers partoftheruraltelephone network. Several private operators indirectly administer basic
telecommunications services onbehalf oftheState under aconcession system.
Anyterminalorothertypeofequipmentproducedabroadthatinterfaceswiththepublicswitched
telephone network mustbeapproved inaccordance withthestandards established forWorld Numbering
Zone 1.Theregulatory body mayrequire evidence ofsuchtype-approval.
Anyreference intheoffer totheconditions tobeensured inregard tointerconnection with
themajor supplier willberegarded asvalid forallsuppliers withoperating concessions.
2. Notes onthescheduling ofcommitments
Unless otherwise noted inthesector column, anybasic telecommunications service listed in
thesector column:
(a) Encompasses local, longdistance andinternational services forpublic andnon-public
use;
(b) maybeprovided onafacilities basis orbyresale; andS/GBT/W/1/Add.30
Page2
(c) maybeprovided through anymeans oftechnology (e.g.cable1,wireless, satellites).
Subsector (g)-private leased circuit services -involves, unless otherwise noted inthesector
column, theability ofservice suppliers tosellorlease anytypeofnetwork capacity forthesupply
ofservices listed inanyotherbasictelecommunications services subsector. Thiswould include capacity
viacable, satellite andwireless network.
1Including alltypes ofcable.DOMINICAN REPUBLIC -DRAFT OFFER FOR THE LIBERALIZATION OFBASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONSS/GBT/W/1/Add.30
Page3Modes ofsupply: (1) Cross-border supply (2) Consumption abroad (3) Commercial presence (4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
2.C. TELECOMMUNICATIONS
SERVICES
(a) Voice telephone services
(CPC 7521)
(b) Packet-switched data
transmission
(CPC 7523)
(c) Circuit-switched data
transmission
(CPC 7523)
(d) Telex services
(CPC 7523)
(e) Telegraph services
(CPC 7522)
(f) Facsimile services
(CPC 7521 and7529)
(g) Private leased circuit services
(CPC 7522 and7523)(1) Unbound
(2) Unbound
(3) Thefollowing requirements must be
fulfilled:
(a)Establish legal domicile in
Dominican territory;
(b)besetupasalegal person inthe
Dominican Republic; and
(c)obtain aconcession from the
Executive Branch through the
telecommunications regulatory body,
which atthetimeofthisoffer isthe
Directorate-General of
Telecommunications (DGT)(1)Unbound
(2)Unbound
(3)UnboundContained intheannex.Modes ofsupply: (1) Cross-border supply (2) Consumption abroad (3) Commercial presence (4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
(o)Other:S/GBT/W/1/Add.30
Page4
-Connection and
interconnection services
(CPC 7543 and7525)
-Paging services
(CPC 75291)
-Mobile maritime andair-to-
ground telecommunications
services
(CPC 75299)(4)Unbound, except asindicated inthe
horizontal commitments established in
theDominican Republic 'sUruguay
Round Schedule ofServices
(GATS/SC/28)(4)Unbound, except asindicated inthe
horizontal commitments established
intheDominican Republic 's
Uruguay Round Schedule of
Services (GATS/SC/28)S/GBT/W/1/Add.30
Page5
REFERENCE PAPER
Scope
Thefollowing aredefinitions andprinciples ontheregulatory framework forthebasic
telecommunications services.
Definitions
Users mean service consumers andservice suppliers.
Essential facilities mean facilities ofapublic telecommunications transport network orservice
that:
(a) Areexclusively orpredominantly provided byasingle orlimited number ofsuppliers;
and
(b) cannot feasibly beeconomically ortechnically substituted inorder toprovide aservice.
Amajor supplier isasupplier which hastheability tomaterially affect theterms ofparticipation
(having regard toprice andsupply) intherelevant market forbasic telecommunications services as
aresult of:
(a) Control overessential facilities; or
(b) useofitsposition inthemarket.
1. Competitive safeguards
1.1 Prevention ofanti-competitive practices intelecommunications
Appropriate measures shallbemaintained forthepurpose ofpreventing suppliers who, alone
ortogether, areamajor supplier from engaging inorcontinuing anti-competitive practices.
1.2 Safeguards
Theanti-competitive practices referred toabove shallinclude inparticular:
(a) Engaging inanti-competitive cross-subsidization;
(b) using information obtained from competitors withanti-competitive results; and
(c) notmaking available toother services suppliers onatimely basistechnical information
about essential facilities andcommercially relevant information which arenecessary
forthem toprovide services.
2. Interconnection
2.1 Thissection applies tolinking withsuppliers providing public telecommunications transport
networks orservices inorder toallow theusers ofonesupplier tocommunicate withusers ofanother
supplierandtoaccessservicesprovidedbyanothersupplier,wherespecificcommitmentsareundertaken.S/GBT/W/1/Add.30
Page6
2.2 Interconnection tobeensured
Interconnection withamajor supplier willbeensured atanytechnically feasible point inthe
network. Such interconnection isprovided:
(a) Under non-discriminatory terms, conditions (including technical standards and
specifications) andratesandofaquality nolessfavourable thanthatprovided forits
ownlikeservices orforlikeservices ofnon-affiliated service suppliers orforits
subsidiaries orother affiliates;
(b) inatimely fashion, onterms, conditions (including technical standards and
specifications) andcost-oriented ratesthataretransparent, reasonable, having regard
toeconomic feasibility, andsufficiently unbundled sothatthesupplier neednotpay
fornetwork components orfacilities thatitdoesnotrequire fortheservice tobe
provided; and
(c) upon request, atpoints inaddition tothenetwork termination points offered tothe
majority ofusers, subject tocharges thatreflect thecostofconstruction ofnecessary
additional facilities.
2.3 Public availability oftheprocedures forinterconnection negotiations
Theproceduresapplicableforinterconnectiontoamajorsupplierwillbemadepubliclyavailable.
2.4 Transparency ofinterconnection arrangements
Itisensured thatamajor supplier willmake publicly available either itsinterconnection
agreements orareference interconnection offer.
2.5 Interconnection: dispute settlement
Aservice supplier requesting interconnection withamajor supplier willhaverecourse, either:
(a) Atanytime; or
(b) afterareasonable period oftimewhich hasbeenmade publicly known
toanindependent domestic body, which maybearegulatory bodyasreferred toinparagraph 5below,
toresolve disputes regarding appropriate terms, conditions andrates forinterconnection within a
reasonable period oftime, totheextent thatthese havenotbeenestablished previously.
3. Universal service
AnyMemberhastherighttodefinethekindofuniversalserviceobligationitwishestomaintain.
Such obligations willnotberegarded asanti-competitive perse,provided theyareadministered in
atransparent, non-discriminatory andcompetitively neutral manner andarenotmore burdensome than
necessary forthekindofuniversal service defined bytheMember.
4. Public availability oflicensing criteria
Where alicence isrequired, thefollowing willbemade publicly available:S/GBT/W/1/Add.30
Page7
(a) Allthelicensing criteria andtheperiod oftimenormally required toreach adecision
concerning anapplication foralicence; and
(b) theterms andconditions ofindividual licences.
Thereasons forthedenial ofalicence willbemade known totheapplicant upon request.
5. Independent regulators
Theregulatory body isseparate from, andnotaccountable to,anysupplier ofbasic
telecommunications services. Thedecisions ofandtheprocedures usedbyregulators shallbeimpartial
withrespect toallmarket participants.
6. Allocation anduseofscarce resources
Anyprocedures fortheallocation anduseofscarce resources, including frequencies, numbers
andrightsofway,willbecarriedoutinanobjective,timely,transparentandnon-discriminatorymanner.
Thecurrent stateofallocated frequency bands willbemade publicly available, butdetailed identification
offrequencies allocated forspecific government usesisnotrequired.