RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/NGBT/W/12/Add.13
30November 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-3930)
Original: English Negotiating Group onBasic Telecommunications
COMMUNICATION FROM SINGAPORE
Draft Offer onBasic Telecommunications
Thefollowing communication iscirculated attherequest ofSingapore tomembers ofthe
Negotiating Group onBasic Telecommunications.
_______________
With aview toachieving anoutcome fortheWTO/GATS negotiations onbasic
telecommunications thatisbothfairandequitable tothevaried conditions andneeds ofallmember
countries, Singapore submits theattached draftoffer inthissector.
ThisofferisconditionaluponsatisfactorycommitmentsbeingmadebyotherNGBTparticipants.
Singapore reserves therighttowithdraw, modify orreduce thisoffer, depending uponthecommitments
made byother participants.
Singapore alsoreserves therighttomake anytechnical changes tothisoffer andtocorrect
anyomissions,errorsorinaccuraciesfoundthereinatanytimepriortotheconclusionofthenegotiations.S/NGBT/W/12/Add.13
Page2SINGAPORE -DRAFT OFFER
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional
Commitments
1. Wire-based:
Public Telecommunication
Services (local and
international):
a) Public Switched Voice
Telephone Services
b) Public Switched Data
Transmission Services
c) Public Switched Facsimile,
Telex andTelegram
Services
d) Public Switched Integrated
Services Digital Network
(ISDN) Services
e) Leased Circuit Services1) Subject tocommercial arrangements with
licensed operator(s).
2) None.
3) From 1April 2002, broadcasting
operators andother public
telecommunication licensees may, subject
tomarket conditions, provide these
services ahead oftheexpiry ofthe
exclusivity granted tothecurrent licensed
operator in2007.
Foreign shareholding ofupto49% in
these service providers isallowed.
4) Unbound, except asindicated in
horizontal commitments.1) None.
2) None.
3) None, except asindicated inhorizontal
commitments.
4) Unbound, except asindicated in
horizontal commitments.Pro-competitive
regulatory principles in
interconnection,
competition safeguards,
transparent regulations
andindependence ofthe
Regulator (refer to
Attachment).S/NGBT/W/12/Add.13
Page3Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional
Commitments
2. Radio-based :
a) Public Mobile Data Service
(PMDS)
b) Public Trunked Radio
Service (PTRS)
c) Public Cellular Mobile
Telephone Service
(PCMTS)
d) Public Radio Paging Service
(PRPS)1) Subject tocommercial arrangements with
licensed operator(s).
2) None.
3) Markets have been liberalised forthese
services.
There aretwoPMDS andtwoPTRS
licensees. Two PCMTS andfourPRPS
operators have been licensed toprovide
services from 1April 1997.
More service providers maybelicensed
depending onmarket conditions and
frequency availability.
Foreign shareholding ofupto49% in
these service providers isallowed.
4) Unbound, except asindicated inthe
horizontal commitments.1) None.
2) None.
3) None, except asindicated inhorizontal
commitments.
4) Unbound, except asindicated in
horizontal commitments.Pro-competitive
regulatory principles in
interconnection,
competition safeguards,
transparent regulations
andindependence ofthe
Regulator (refer to
Attachment).S/NGBT/W/12/Add.13
Page4Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional
Commitments
3. Resale basis:
a) Public Switched
Telecommunication
Services (local and
international):
i)Public Switched Voice
Telephone Services
ii)Public Switched Data
Transmission Services
iii)Public Switched
Facsimile, Telex,
Telegram Services
iv)Public Switched
Integrated Services
Digital Network
(ISDN) Services
b) Public Cellular Mobile
Telephone Services
c) Public Radio Paging
Services1) Subject tocommercial arrangements with
licensed operator(s).
2) None.
3) None.
4) Unbound, except asindicated in
horizontal commitments.1) None.
2) None.
3) None, except asindicated inhorizontal
commitments.
4) Unbound, except asindicated in
horizontal commitments.Pro-competitive
regulatory principles in
interconnection,
competition safeguards,
transparent regulations
andindependence ofthe
Regulator (refer to
Attachment).S/NGBT/W/12/Add.13
Page5Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional
Commitments
4. Other services:
Satellite uplinks/downlinks
forcarriage ofbroadcasting
signals1) None.
2) None.
3) Foreign shareholding ofupto49% is
allowed forlicensees which operate
satellite uplinks/downlinks tocarry
broadcasting signals forother users.
100% foreign shareholding isallowed for
self-providers.
4) Unbound, except asindicated in
horizontal commitments.1) None.
2) None.
3) None, except asindicated inhorizontal
commitments.
4) Unbound, except asindicated in
horizontal commitments.S/NGBT/W/12/Add.13
Page6
ATTACHMENT
ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS
1. Interconnection
1.1 Theregulator shallensure thattheincumbent service operator provides toanyother operators
whohavebeenlicensed toprovide telecommunication services inSingapore, access toand
themeans tointerconnect equipment toitsnetworks andsystems. Theregulator shallensure
thattheincumbent doesnotimpose unreasonable barriers upon anyother operators forsuch
access orinterconnection.
1.2 Interconnection,accessandinfrastructuresharingarrangementsshallbecommerciallynegotiated
between theoperators. Intheevent thatnoagreement isreached, theregulator shallmediate
toensure thatsucharrangements arefairandreasonable.
1.3 Theregulator shallensure thatprocedures fortypeapproval oftelecommunication terminal
equipment aresimple andtransparent toensure effective interconnection tothePSTN.
2. Competition Safeguards
2.1 Theregulator shalltakemeasures toprevent theincumbent service provider from engaging
inanti-competitive behaviour andfromabusing itsmarket power. Suchmeasures mayinclude
requiring theuseofseparate accounting procedures andpreventing predatory pricing, cross-
subsidisation between competitive andnon-competitive services andthemisuse ofinformation
from other operators obtained during interconnection/access negotiations.
2.2 Theregulator mayrequire number portability amongst allservice operators.
3. Transparent Regulation
3.1 Theregulator shallmake available theterms andconditions oflicences itgrants aswellas
theselection criteria andlicensing terms andconditions itimposes when licensing operators
fortheprovision ofservices. Theregulator shallensure thatsuchcriteria arefairandreasonable
within thecontext ofSingapore 'smarket conditions andtaking intoaccount theavailability
ofscarce resources suchaslandandtheradio frequency spectrum.
4. Independence oftheRegulator
4.1 Theregulator shallbeseparate from andindependent ofanyservice operators.
4.2 Theregulator shallhavethenecessary powers tomediate andresolve disputes between basic
telecommunication service operators.