WORLD TRADE GATS/SC/29/Suppl.1
11April 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-1459)
Trade inServices
ELSALVADOR
Schedule ofSpecific Commitments
Supplement 1
(This isauthentic inSpanish only)
_______________
Thistextsupplements thesection ontelecommunications services onpage8ofdocument
GATS/SC/29.ELSALVADOR -SCHEDULE OFSPECIFIC COMMITMENTSGATS/SC/29/Suppl.1
Page2Modes ofsupply: (1)Cross-border supply (2) Consumption abroad (3) Commercial presence (4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
2.C. Telecommunications
services
Domestic andinternational
services through public and
non-public basic
telecommunications networks
using anynetwork technology
(e.g.wire-based, radio, satellite,
cable andtelevision); based on
theuseoffacilities andbased on
resale; foreachofthefollowing
services:
(a) Voice telephony
(b) Packet-switched data
transmission services
(c) Circuit-switched data
transmission services
(d) Telex services
(e) Telegraph services
(f) Facsimile services(1) None
(2) None
(3) Application must bemade tothe
SIGET (Electricity and
Telecommunications Supervisory
Authority) foraconcession or
licence tousetheregulated
frequency andallocation of
numbers andmulti-carrier system
operator selection key.
Access toINTELSAT facilities
through thesignatory.
Asindicated inthehorizontal
commitments.(1) None, except asindicated
under horizontal commitments.
(2) None
(3) NoneOnthebasis ofthelegal
framework ofthe
Telecommunications Law
(Legislative Decree 807of
12September 1996),
ElSalvador submits the
attached reference-paper
commitments.
Prices andconditions of
telecommunications services
tofinalusers willbe
established byfree
negotiation except inthe
cases provided forinthe
Telecommunications Law.Modes ofsupply: (1)Cross-border supply (2) Consumption abroad (3) Commercial presence (4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
(g) Private-leased circuitGATS/SC/29/Suppl.1
Page3services
(o) Other
- Radiocommunication
frequency
- Paging
- Mobile cellular services
- Leasing oftransmission
media andswitching points
- Public telephones(4) None, except asindicated under
horizontal commitments.(4) None, except asindicated
under horizontal commitments.GATS/SC/29/Suppl.1
Page4
REFERENCE PAPER
Scope
Thefollowing aredefinitions andprinciples ontheregulatory framework forthebasic
telecommunications services.
Definitions
Users mean service consumers andservice suppliers.
Essential facilities mean facilities ofapublic telecommunications transport network orservice
that:
(a) Areexclusively orpredominantly provided byasingle orlimited number ofsuppliers;
and
(b) cannot feasibly beeconomically ortechnically substituted inorder toprovide aservice.
Amajor supplier means asupplier which hastheability tomaterially affect theterms of
participation (having regard toprice andsupply) intherelevant market forbasic telecommunications
services asaresult of:
(a) Control overessential facilities; or
(b) useofitsposition inthemarket.
1. Competitive safeguards
1.1 Prevention ofanti-competitive practices intelecommunications
Appropriate measures shallbemaintained forthepurpose ofpreventing suppliers who, alone
ortogether, areamajor supplier from engaging inorcontinuing anti-competitive practices.
1.2 Safeguards
Theanti-competitive practices referred toabove shallinclude inparticular:
(a) Engaging inanti-competitive cross-subsidization;
(b) using information obtained from competitors withanti-competitive results; and
(c) notmaking available toother services suppliers onatimely basistechnical information
about essential facilities andcommercially relevant information which arenecessary
forthem toprovide services.
2. Interconnection
2.1 Thissectionappliestolinkingwithsuppliersprovidingcommercialtelecommunicationsservices
inorder toallow theusers ofonesupplier tocommunicate withusers ofanother supplier andtoaccess
services provided byanother supplier, where specific commitments areundertaken.GATS/SC/29/Suppl.1
Page5
2.2. Interconnection tobeensured
Interconnection withamajor supplier willbeensured atanytechnically feasible point inthe
network. Such interconnection isprovided:
(a) Under non-discriminatory terms, conditions (including technical standards and
specifications) andratesandofaquality nolessfavourable thanthatprovided forits
ownlikeservices orforlikeservices ofnon-affiliated service suppliers orforits
subsidiaries orother affiliates;
(b) atalltechnically feasible levels andexchanges inorder toensure termination inthe
network ofoneoftheparties oftelecommunications originating inanyothercommercial
network, ortransfer telecommunications originating inthenetwork ofoneoftheparties
toanyothercommercialtelecommunicationsnetworkselectedbytheend-userimplicitly
orexplicitly;
(c) inatimely fashion, onterms, conditions (including technical standards and
specifications) andcost-oriented ratesthataretransparent, reasonable, having regard
toeconomic feasibility, andsufficiently unbundled sothatthesupplier neednotpay
fornetwork components orfacilities thatitdoesnotrequire fortheservice tobe
provided; and
(d) upon request, atpoints inaddition tothenetwork termination points offered tothe
majority ofusers, subject tocharges thatreflect thecostofconstruction ofnecessary
additional facilities.
2.3 Public availability oftheprocedures forinterconnection negotiations
Theprocedures applicable foraccess toessential facilities forinterconnection toamajor supplier
willbemade publicly available.
2.4 Transparency ofinterconnection arrangements
Itisensured thatasupplier willmake publicly available either itsinterconnection agreements
orareference interconnection offer.
2.5 Interconnection: dispute settlement
Aservice supplier requesting interconnection withamajor supplier willhaverecourse, either:
(a) Atanytime; or
(b) afteraperiod of40dayswhich hasbeenmade publicly known toaregulatory body
asreferred toinparagraph 5below, toresolve disputes regarding appropriate terms,
conditions andratesforinterconnection within areasonable period oftime, totheextent
thatthese havenotbeenestablished previously.
3. Universal service
AnyMemberhastherighttodefinethekindofuniversalserviceobligationitwishestomaintain.
Such obligations willnotberegarded asanti-competitive perse,provided theyareadministered inGATS/SC/29/Suppl.1
Page6
atransparent, non-discriminatory andcompetitively neutral manner andarenotmore burdensome than
necessary forthekindofuniversal service defined bytheMember.
4. Public availability oflicensing criteria
Where alicence isrequired, thefollowing willbemade publicly available:
(a) Allthelicensing criteria andtheperiod oftimenormally required toreach adecision
concerning anapplication foralicence; and
(b) theterms andconditions ofindividual licences.
Thereasons forthedenial ofalicence willbemade known totheapplicant upon request.
5. Independent regulators
Theregulatory body isseparate from, andnotaccountable to,anysupplier ofbasic
telecommunications services. Thedecisions ofandtheprocedures usedbyregulators shallbeimpartial
withrespect toallmarket participants.
6. Allocation anduseofscarce resources
Anyprocedures fortheallocation anduseofscarce resources, including frequencies, numbers
andrightsofway,willbecarriedoutinanobjective,timely,transparentandnon-discriminatorymanner.
Thecurrent stateofallocated frequency bands willbemade publicly available, butdetailed identification
offrequencies allocated forspecific government usesisnotrequired.