explanatory statement
Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for connection to an air interface of a Telecommunications Network — Part 1: General — AS/ACIF S042.1:2006) 2006
Issued by the Authority of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
Legislative provisions
On June 22 2006, the Australian Communications and Media Authority made the Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for connection to an air interface of a Telecommunications Network — Part1: General — AS/ACIF S042.1:2006) 2006 (the Technical Standard) under section 376(1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (‘the Act’). Section 376(1) of the Telecommunications Act 1997 (the Act) allows the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to make a technical standard relating to specified Customer Equipment and Customer Cabling.
The Technical Standard makes it mandatory for suppliers of CE and CC to comply with the Standards Australia/Australian Communications Industry Forum Standard — Requirements for connection to an air interface of a Telecommunications Network — Part 1: General — AS/ACIF S042.1:2006.
Background
The telecommunications regulatory arrangement for CE and CC requires each supplier to apply a compliance label to its product prior to supply to the market. Compliance is determined against technical standards made under section 376 of the Act. The Telecommunications Labelling (Customer Equipment and Customer Cabling) Notice 2001 (‘the Labelling Notice’) made under section 407 of the Act specifies standards applicable to particular items of CE and CC.
Technical standards made under section 376 of the Act can only consist of such requirements as are necessary or convenient for:
- protecting the integrity of a telecommunications network or facility;
- protecting the health or safety of persons who may be affected by the operation of the network or facility to which the equipment or cabling is connected;
- ensuring equipment can be used to give access to an emergency call service;
- ensuring interoperability of equipment with a network facility used to provide the standard telephone service; or
- achieving an objective specified in the regulations (no regulations have been made to date).
The Act further provides that in making a technical standard ACMA may apply, adopt or incorporate any matter contained in a standard proposed or approved by any other body or association. ACMA practice is to adopt in their entirety telecommunications technical standards developed by industry. This is consistent with the practice of the former Australian Communications Authority.
The Australian Communications and Industry Forum (ACIF)[1] has accreditation as a standards making organisation from Standards Australia. ACMA currently has a Memorandum of Understanding with ACIF under which ACIF is responsible for the development and revision of industry telecommunications technical standards.
The Labelling Notice and the section 376 technical standards are major components of the telecommunications regulatory arrangements and help to ensure the integrity, safety and continued availability of telecommunications networks within Australia.
Intended impact and effect
This Technical Standard prescribes requirements of a general, technology neutral nature on CE intended for connection to a public mobile telecommunications network. The CE may employ any of the various mobile technologies including GSM, CDMA and 3G/WCDMA. The Technical Standard is a revision of Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for connection to an air interface of a Telecommunications Network-Part 1: General AS/ACIF S042.1-1999) 2006 (the old standard).
The new standard goes to considerable lengths to clarify the conditions under which a mobile phone must provide emergency call access. For example, the standard has requirements for dialling 000 while in a keypad lock condition. Where a 10 digit numeric keypad exists, a user must also be able to individually enter the 0-0-0 digits regardless of whether there exists an emergency soft key for emergency call access. These changes have become necessary as the old standard has struggled to accommodate the changing nature and the convergence of technology incorporating mobile CE.
The new standard also includes acoustic safety requirements and a requirement for a power fail warning notice for mains powered CE. These requirements align with those applicable to fixed line CE. It also includes a requirement to display a screen message indicating that only emergency calls are possible when the CE has roamed to another network for which there is no subscription in place.
The new standard will supersede the old standard at the expiration of a twenty four month overlap period commencing from the time the amendment to the Labelling Notice is registered. During the overlap period both the old and new standards are in force and a supplier may choose to declare compliance against either.
The Technical Standard clarifies the requirements on manufactures and importers of customer equipment. The impact on industry is minimal as the majority of manufacturers and importers currently comply with the new standard.
Consultation
Section 378 of the Act requires ACMA to ensure, so far as practicable, that interested persons have an opportunity to comment on a proposed technical standard and that due consideration be given to any comments before ACMA makes the standard. The Standard was prepared by the ACIF Customer Equipment and Cable Reference Panel (CECRP) WC16 Mobile Telephone Terminals working committee and the CECRP/WC20: Mobile Telephony Acoustic Safety working committee which comprised industry representatives including carriers, carriage service providers, equipment manufacturers and importers and test houses.
There were two drafts that were issued for separate public consultation. The first related to the work by CECRP/WC16 on emergency dialling and other requirements, from 24 May 2005 for 63 days of public consultation, closing on 26 July 2005. The second was on the work by CERCP/WC20 on acoustic safety requirements, from 30 August 2005 for 62 days of public consultation closing 31 October 2005.
A draft of the Technical Standard was distributed to industry through the ACIF CECRP and the ACIF working committee and additionally promoted through an advertisement in a national newspaper and an electronic public e-mail based facility dedicated to communications. The CECRP consists of telecommunications sector representatives including carriers, carriage service providers, importers, manufacturers and representatives from disability and consumer groups.
A copy of the proposal and report were available for a free download on the ACIF website during that period and copies sent directly to interested parties on request. In total thirteen sets of public comments were received by ACIF.
The Office of Regulation Review (ORR) has advised that the making of the technical standard does not impose a substantial additional regulatory burden on manufacturers and importers of customer equipment. As such a Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) is not required. The ORR RIS exemption ID number is 6446.
Other documents incorporated in this instrument by reference
The Technical Standard incorporates the Standards Australia/Australian Communications Industry Forum Standard — Requirements for connection to an air interface of a Telecommunications Network — Part 1: General — AS/ACIF S042.1:2006 by requiring the CE to which the technical standard applies to comply with it. The industry standard is available from ACIF at www.acif.org.au.
The Telecommunications Labelling (Customer Equipment and Customer Cabling) Notice 2001 is available from the ACMA website at www.acma.gov.au.
Detailed Description of the Amendment Instrument
Details of the Amendment Instrument are in Attachment 1.
ATTACHMENT 1
Notes on the instrument
Section 1—Name of Technical Standard
This section provides the name and citation for the Technical Standard as Telecommunications Technical Standard (Requirements for connection to an air interface of a Telecommunications Network — Part 1: General AS/ACIF S042.1:2006) 2006.
Section 2—Commencement
This section provides that the Technical Standard commences on the day after it is registered.
Section 3− Objects of Technical Standard
This section sets out the broad objects of the Technical Standard. These objects are consistent with matters that may be incorporated into a standard as provided by subsection 376(2) of the Act.
Section 4—Definitions
This section provides definitions for the instrument. It defines AS/ACIF standard as the Standards Australia/Australian Communications Industry Forum Standard — Requirements for connection to an air interface of a Telecommunications Network — Part 1: General — AS/ACIF S042.1:2006 published in February 2006. This section also provides a definition of public mobile telecommunications service.
Section 5—Application of Technical Standard
This section identifies the scope of the standard. It applies to customer equipment that is designed, or intended, for use in connection with a public mobile telecommunications service and is an addressable device.
Section 6—Standard for customer equipment
This section provides that the equipment referred to in section 6 must comply with the AS/ACIF standard.
[1] ACIF is an industry owned, operated and resourced company established in 1997 by the telecommunications industry to implement and manage self-regulation within Australia. ACIF provides a neutral forum in which all participants and end-users in the Australian communications industry can work together to foster an efficient, competitive environment through self-regulatory processes, technical codes and standards.