RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/GBT/W/1/Add.5
13January 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0103)
Original: English Group onBasic Telecommunications
COMMUNICATION FROM SWITZERLAND
Schedule ofSpecific Commitments onBasic Telecommunications
Revision
Thefollowing communication iscirculated attherequest ofSwitzerland tomembers ofthe
Group onBasic Telecommunications.
_______________
Inaccordance withthedecisions taken intheGroup onBasic Telecommunications, Switzerland
hereby submits itsSchedule ofSpecific Commitments onBasic Telecommunications services.S/GBT/W/1/Add.5
Page2SWITZERLAND -SCHEDULE OFSPECIFIC COMMITMENTS ONBASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional Commitments
II. SECTORAL COMMITMENTS
2.C.Telecommunications Services
AllTelecommunications Sectors - TheFederal Lawon
Telecommunications ispresently
under review. TheGovernment
willsubmit toParliament anew
draft lawbymid-1996. It
provides inparticular forthe
removal oftheremaining
monopoly rights oftheSwiss
PTT regarding network facilities
andvoice telephone services.
TheParliament hasbegun
discussions ontheGovernment 's
proposal inthefallof1996 and
isexpected tovoteonitin
mid-1997. Taking intoaccount a
3months period open for
referendum thenewlawcould
enter intoforce by1.1.1998.
Following thedecisions tobe
taken bytheLegislator, the
Swiss Government willimprove
thecommitments onbasic
telecommunications under the
GATS simultaneously with
entering intoforce ofthenew
law,taking intoaccount thelevel
ofcommitments ofother
Members.S/GBT/W/1/Add.5
Page3Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional Commitments
- PartI(Horizontal Commitments)
oftheSwiss schedule ofspecific
commitments (GATS/SC/83,
April 1994) applies tothesectors
listed below
- Federal monopoly onnetwork
infrastructure
- Licensing requirements forradio-
communications networks subject
tospectrum availability- PartI(Horizontal Commitments)
oftheSwiss schedule ofspecific
commitments (GATS/SC/83,
April 1994) applies tothesectors
listed belowAsannexed
a) Voice telephone services
(CPC 7521)
-forclosed usergroups ona
leased linebasis (single end
break out): aclosed user
group isdefined bySwiss
legislation asagroup of
persons withapre-existing
stable common economic
interest typically based ona
contractual orlongterm
investment relationship(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI
-other voice telephone
services(1) Swiss PTTisthesoleoperator
authorized toprovide voice
telephone services other than
services forclosed usergroups
(definition above) onaleased
linebasis (single endbreak out)
(2) None(1) None
(2) NoneS/GBT/W/1/Add.5
Page4Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional Commitments
(3) Swiss PTTisthesoleoperator
authorized toprovide voice
telephone services other than
services forclosed usergroups
(definition above) onaleased
linebasis (single endbreak out)
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI
b) Packet-switched data
transmission (Part ofCPC 7523)(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI
c) Circuit-switched data
transmission (Part ofCPC 7523)(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI
d) Telex services (Part of
CPC 7523)(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartIS/GBT/W/1/Add.5
Page5Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional Commitments
e) Telegraph services (CPC 7522) (1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI
f) Facsimile services
(Part ofCPC 7521 +Partof
7529)(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI
g) Private leased circuit services
(Part ofCPC 7522 +Partof
7523)
-Voice telephone services
forclosed usergroups
(definition above) ona
leased linebasis (single end
break out)(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartIS/GBT/W/1/Add.5
Page6Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orSub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional Commitments
-Other voice telephone
services(1) Swiss PTTisthesoleoperator
authorized toprovide voice
telephone services other than
services forclosed usergroups
(definition above) onaleased
linebasis (single endbreak out)
(2) None
(3) Swiss PTTisthesoleoperator
authorized toprovide voice
telephone services other than
services forclosed usergroups
(definition above) onaleased
linebasis (single endbreak out)
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI
-Other private leased circuit
services(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartI(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated in
PartIS/GBT/W/1/Add.5
Page7
Annex
Switzerland :Additional Commitments onBasic Telecommunications
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 isasupplier which hastheability tomaterially affect theterms ofparticipation (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
Appropriatemeasuresshallbemaintainedforthepurposeofpreventingsupplierswho,aloneortogether,
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.Thissectionappliestolinkingwithsuppliersprovidingpublictelecommunicationstransportnetworks
orservices inorder toallow theusers ofonesupplier tocommunicate withusers ofanother supplier
andtoaccess services provided byanother supplier, where specific commitments areundertaken.S/GBT/W/1/Add.5
Page8
2.2.Interconnection tobeensured
Interconnection withamajor supplier willbeensured atanytechnically feasible point inthenetwork.
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) 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
c) 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 forinterconnection toamajor supplier willbemade publicly available.
2.4.Transparency ofinterconnection arrangements
Itisensured thatanysupplier with amonopoly right willmake publicly available either its
interconnection agreements orareference interconnection offer.
2.5.Interconnection: dispute settlement
Aservice supplier requesting interconnection withamajor supplier willhaverecourse, either:
a) atanytimeor
b) afterareasonable period oftimewhich hasbeenmade publicly known
toanindependent domestic body, which maybearegulatory bodyasreferred toinparagraph 5below,
toresolve disputes regarding appropriate terms, conditions andrates forinterconnection within a
reasonable period oftime, totheextent thatthese havenotbeenestablished previously.
3.Universal service
AnyMember hastherighttodefine thekindofuniversal service obligation itwishes tomaintain. Such
obligations willnotberegarded asanti-competitive perse,provided theyareadministered ina
transparent, non-discriminatory andcompetitively neutral manner andarenotmore burdensome than
necessary forthekindofuniversal service defined bytheMember.S/GBT/W/1/Add.5
Page9
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 bodyisseparate from, andnotaccountable to,anysupplier ofbasictelecommunications
services. Thedecisions ofandtheprocedures usedbyregulators shallbeimpartial withrespect toall
market participants.
6.Allocation anduseofscarce resources
Anyprocedures fortheallocation anduseofscarce resources, including frequencies, numbers and
rights ofway,willbecarried outinanobjective, timely, transparent andnon-discriminatory manner.
Thecurrent stateofallocated frequency bands willbemade publicly available, butdetailed identification
offrequencies allocated forspecific government usesisnotrequired.