A consultation exercise has been launched inviting views on initiatives for enhancing the protection of telecommunications service users' interests and promoting good trade practices among providers.

The initiatives proposed include:

* a framework for providing quality of service information to users of public telecommunications services;

* a voluntary code of practice for the service contracts for the provision of public telecommunications services; and,

* a voluntary code of practice on unsolicited doorstep sales and marketing of telecommunications services at residential premises.

Lax information leads to complaints

The Office of the Telecommunications Authority said all industry sectors have been liberalised and opened to competition, giving consumers a wide range of innovative services at competitive prices.

To ensure consumers gain the full benefits of the competition, they should be adequately informed about the quality of different service providers so they can make an informed choice.

In view of the fact that a significant proportion of complaints about broadband Internet services arose from the lack of information about service quality, the quality of service framework will first focus on residential broadband Internet services.

OFTA proposes to include 10 service and technical performance indicators in the quality of service framework.

The indicators will be measured, reported and published based on definitions and measurement methodology uniformly applied across the industry.

With the availability of comparable quality of service information, consumers can make informed choices about Internet services.

Performance statistics available in mid-2005

Performance statistics of residential broadband service providers will be made available to consumers in mid-2005 and updated quarterly.

OFTA said performance indicators should be set by the service providers themselves. They are not minimum standards set by the regulator.

It said service providers will continue to compete on price as well as the non-price aspects of their offers.

Transparency will make it easier for residential customers to choose between the different offers as they understand more about what to expect in terms of service quality.

Views sought on two codes of practice

On fixed-line telephone services and Internet services, OFTA is consulting the public on two codes of practice and invites operators to join on a voluntary basis.

With the duration of fixed-term telecommunications service contracts increasing to as long as 36 months, OFTA said it is all the more important for such contracts to be prepared and presented in a fair and transparent manner.

A Code of Practice for the Service Contracts for the Provision of Public Telecommunications Services is proposed in this consultation. Under this, the provisions in telecommunications service contracts should be balanced, fair, and reasonable.

Salient points of a contract should be presented in a prominent place or highlighted in the contract, and consumers should ask for a copy of the contract entered into.

The proposed code is modelled on a voluntary Code of Practice for the Service Contracts for the Provision of Public Mobile Radiotelephone Services issued in 2001.

OFTA now invites views on having a similar code covering other public telecommunications services, especially the fixed-line telephone services and Internet services.

External telecommunications service providers and mobile virtual network operators are also encouraged to comply with the proposed code.

Operators should adopt good trade practices

The second voluntary code of practice that OFTA hoped to issue after consultation concerns unsolicited sales visits to residential premises.

In view of the complaints about the nuisance caused by doorstep sales of fixed-line telephone services or Internet services, OFTA hopes operators will adopt good trade practices with self-discipline.

OFTA invites telecommunications operators to indicate their willingness to comply voluntarily with the two codes of practice. Those who pledge compliance will have their names published on OFTA's website for the public to monitor.

Consultations end on August 20 & September 23

The consultation papers on all three proposals can be downloaded from OFTA's website.

The consultations on the two codes of practice will last four weeks until August 20, while the consultation period for the framework for providing quality of service information will last for two months until September 23.