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House of Commons

Session 2002 - 03 Internet Publications Other Bills before Parliament

Communications Bill

Communications Bill
EXPLANATORY NOTES
Explanatory notes to the Bill, prepared by the Department of Trade and Industry and
the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are published separately as Bill 6—EN.
EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
Secretary Tessa Jowell has made the following statement under section 19(1)(b) of the
Human Rights Act 1998:
I am unable (but only because of clause 309) to make a statement that, in my view, the
provisions of the Communications Bill are compatible with the Convention rights.
However, the Government nevertheless wishes the House to proceed with the Bill.
Bill 6 53/2
Communications Bill
Contents
Part 1
Functions of OFCOM
Transferred and assigned functions
1        Functions and general powers of OFCOM
2        Transfer of functions of pre-commencement regulators
General duties in carrying out functions
3        General duties of OFCOM
4        Duties for the purpose of fulfilling Community obligations
5        Directions in respect of networks and spectrum functions
6        Duties to review regulatory burdens
7        Duty to carry out impact assessments
8        Duty to publish and meet promptness standards
9        Secretary of State’s powers in relation to promptness standards
Media literacy
10        Function of promoting media literacy
OFCOM’s Content Board
11        Duty to establish and maintain Content Board
12        Functions of the Content Board
Functions for the protection of consumers
13        Consumer research
14        Duty to publish and take account of research
15        Consumer consultation
16        Membership etc. of the Consumer Panel
17        Committees and other procedure of the Consumer Panel
18        Power to amend remit of Consumer Panel
Bill 6 53/2
Communications Bill iv
International matters
19        Representation on international and other bodies
20        Directions for international purposes in respect of broadcasting functions
General information functions
21        Provision of information to the Secretary of State
22        Community requirement to provide information
23        Publication of information and advice for consumers etc.
Employment in broadcasting
24        Training and equality of opportunity
Charging
25        General power to charge for services
Provisions supplemental to transfer of functions
26        Transfers of property etc. from pre-commencement regulators
27        Transitional functions and abolition of pre-commencement regulators
Part 2
Networks, services and the radio spectrum
Chapter 1
Electronic communications networks and services
Preliminary
28        Meaning of electronic communications networks and services
Notification by providers
29        Advance notification to OFCOM
30        Designations and requirements for the purposes of s. 29
31        Notification of contraventions of s. 29
32        Enforcement notification for contravention of s. 29
33        Penalties for contravention of s. 29
Administrative charges imposed on providers
34        Fixing of charges
35        Supplemental provision about fixing charges
36        Notification of non-payment of charges
37        Penalties for non-payment of charges
38        Suspending service provision for non-payment
39        Enforcement of directions under s. 38
Communications Bill v
Register of providers required to notify or to pay charges
40        Duty of OFCOM to keep publicly accessible register
Conditions of entitlement to provide network or service etc.
41        Power of OFCOM to set conditions
42        Persons to whom conditions may apply
43        Tests for setting or modifying conditions
44        Procedure for setting, modifying and revoking conditions
45        Directions and approvals for the purposes of a s. 41 condition
46        Delivery of copies of notifications etc.
General conditions: subject matter
47        Matters to which general conditions may relate
General conditions: customer interests
48        Conditions relating to customer interests
49        Approval of codes of practice for the purposes of s. 48
50        Approval of dispute procedures for the purposes of s. 48
51        Orders by OFCOM in the absence of conditions under s. 48
General conditions: telephone numbers
52        The National Telephone Numbering Plan
53        Conditions to secure access to telephone numbers
54        Conditions about allocation and adoption of numbers
55        Telephone numbering conditions binding non-providers
56        Modification of documents referred to in numbering conditions
57        Withdrawal of telephone number allocations
58        Numbering reorganisations
59        General duty as to telephone numbering functions
General conditions: must-carry obligations
60        Must-carry obligations
Universal service conditions
61        Obligations to be secured by universal service conditions
62        Designation of universal service providers
63        Subject-matter of universal service conditions
64        Tariffs etc. for universal services
65        Directories and directory enquiry facilities
66        Review of compliance costs
67        Sharing of burden of universal service obligations
68        Report on sharing mechanism
Access-related conditions
69        Permitted subject-matter of access-related conditions
70        Specific types of access-related conditions
71        Conditional access systems and access to digital services
Communications Bill vi
72        Modification and revocation of conditions imposed under s. 71
Privileged supplier conditions
73        Imposition of privileged supplier conditions
SMP conditions: procedure
74        Circumstances required for the setting of SMP conditions
75        Market power determinations
76        Proposals for identifying markets and for market power determinations
77        Delivery of copies of notifications under ss. 75 and 76
78        European Commission’s powers in respect of proposals
79        Special rules for transnational markets
80        Review of services market identifications and determinations
81        Review of apparatus market identifications and determinations
82        Cases where review required
SMP services conditions: subject matter
83        Conditions about network access etc.
84        Conditions about network access pricing etc.
85        Conditions about network access in exceptional cases
86        Conditions about carrier selection and pre-selection
87        Conditions about regulation of services etc. for end-users
88        Conditions about leased lines
SMP apparatus conditions: subject matter
89        Conditions about apparatus supply
Enforcement of conditions
90        Notification of contravention of condition
91        Enforcement notification for contravention of conditions
92        Penalties for contravention of conditions
93        Amount of penalty under s. 92
94        Power to deal with urgent cases
95        Confirmation of directions under s. 94
96        Suspending service provision for contraventions of conditions
97        Suspending apparatus supply for contraventions of conditions
98        Procedure for directions under ss. 96 and 97
99        Enforcement of directions under ss. 94, 96 and 97
100        Civil liability for breach of conditions or enforcement notification
OFCOM’s duty to intervene on network access issues
101        Consideration and determination of network access questions
Electronic communications code
102        Application of the electronic communications code
103        Procedure for directions applying code
104        Register of persons in whose case code applies
Communications Bill vii
105        Restrictions and conditions subject to which code applies
106        Enforcement of restrictions and conditions
107        Enforcement notification for contravention of code restrictions
108        Penalties for contravention of code restrictions
109        Suspension of application of code
110        Procedure for directions under s. 109
111        Modification and revocation of application of code
112        Notification of cessation by person to whom code applies
113        Transitional schemes on cessation of application of code
114        Compulsory acquisition of land etc.
115        Power to give assistance in relation to certain proceedings
Regulation of premium rate services
116        Conditions regulating premium rate services
117        Approval of code for premium rate services
118        Orders by OFCOM in the absence of a code under s. 117
119        Enforcement of s. 116 conditions
120        Suspending service provision for contraventions of s. 116 conditions
Offences relating to networks and services
121        Dishonestly obtaining electronic communications services
122        Possession or supply of apparatus etc. for contravening s. 121
123        Improper use of public electronic communications network
Persistent misuse of network or service
124        Notification of misuse of networks and services
125        Enforcement notifications for stopping persistent misuse
126        Penalties for persistent misuse
127        Statement of policy on persistent misuse
Powers to deal with emergencies
128        Powers to require suspension or restriction of a provider’s entitlement
129        Enforcement of directions under s. 128
Restrictions in leases and licences
130        Restrictions in leases and licences
Information provisions
131        Information required for purposes of Chapter 1 functions
132        Information required for related purposes
133        Restriction on imposing information requirements
134        Notification of contravention of information requirements
135        Penalties for contravention of information requirement
136        Suspending service provision for information contraventions
137        Suspending apparatus supply for information contraventions
138        Procedure for directions under ss. 136 and 137
139        Enforcement of directions under ss. 136 and 137
140        Offences in connection with information requirements
Communications Bill viii
141        Statement of policy on information gathering
142        Provision of information by OFCOM
Abolition of telecommunications licensing etc.
143        Repeal of provisions of Telecommunications Act 1984
Local authority powers in relation to networks and services
144        Powers of local authorities in connection with networks
145        Grants by district councils in Northern Ireland
Interpretation of Chapter 1
146        Interpretation of Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Spectrum use
General functions relating to spectrum use
147        General functions of OFCOM in relation to radio spectrum
148        United Kingdom Plan for Frequency Authorisation
149        Duties of OFCOM when carrying out spectrum functions
150        Advisory service in relation to interference
151        Directions with respect to the radio spectrum
152        Procedure for directions under s. 151
Reservation of spectrum for multiplex use
153        Special duty in relation to television multiplexes
Recognised spectrum access
154        Grant of recognised spectrum access
155        Effect of grant of recognised spectrum access
156        Charges in respect of grants of recognised spectrum access
157        Conversion into and from wireless telegraphy licences
Crown use of the radio spectrum
158        Payments for use of radio spectrum by the Crown
Limitations and exemptions applied to spectrum use
159        Limitations on authorised spectrum use
160        Terms etc. of wireless telegraphy licences
161        Exemption from need for wireless telegraphy licence
Award and transfer of licences
162        Bidding for wireless telegraphy licences
163        Spectrum trading

© Parliamentary copyright 2002	Revised 20 November 2002