The Office of the Telecommunications Authority has issued a consultation paper to solicit views on its proposal to form a unified carrier licence for fixed-mobile convergence.

Currently, fixed and mobile services are licensed under fixed and mobile carrier licences, with different rights and obligations imposed on network operators. With the advent of new technologies, fixed and mobile services will converge. It may become difficult to classify a service as a fixed or mobile service.

A public consultation on the introduction of broadband wireless access services is underway. These services will serve both fixed and mobile customers. It is therefore necessary to review the need for a unified licence that would suit all forms of networks and services.

Wide scope

Under the proposed unified licensing framework, a licensee may be allowed to provide fixed services, mobile services, or both, depending on the scope of services proposed by the licensees in their licence applications.

It is proposed that once the unified framework is in place, the existing fixed and mobile carrier licences will no longer be issued to new entrants or to existing licensees whose licences are due for renewal. Existing fixed or mobile carriers will, however, be permitted to continue to operate under their existing licences until they expire.

Interested parties can submit comments on the proposal by November 21. A copy of the consultation paper and the draft unified carrier licence can be downloaded from the authority's website.