RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/GBT/W/1/Add.17
5February 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0439)
Original: English Group onBasic Telecommunications
COMMUNICATION FROM GHANA
Draft Offer onBasic Telecommunications
Thefollowing communication iscirculated attherequest ofGhana toMembers oftheGroup
onBasic Telecommunications.
_______________
Ghana hereby submits thisdraftOffer onbasic telecommunications. Ghana reserves theright
tomodify, reduce orwithdraw thisoffer inwhole orinpartatanytimeprior totheconclusions of
thenegotiations onBasic Telecommunications.
Ghana further reserves therighttomake technical changes totheOffer andtocorrect anyoffers,
omissions andinaccuracies.S/GBT/W/1/Add.17
Page2GHANA -DRAFT OFFER 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
2. COMMUNICATION
SERVICES
C. Telecommunication services
Allsub-sectors1,3) [Subject totheavailability of
frequency]Seeattached additional
commitments onregulatory
disciplines.
a. Voice telephone services
(Including public paytelephone
services, operator and
emergency services)
- Fixed network infrastructure
- Forpublic use
- local, domestic longdistance,
andinternational(1) Nobypass ofnetwork facilities
oftheduopoly operators of
public voice telephony
(2) None
(3) Duopoly established withthe
operators toprovide service in
competition withoneanother.
Only through joint venture with
Ghanaian national(s).*
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures*(3) Theduopoly operators of
public voice telephone service are
granted exclusivity foraperiod of
fiveyears. Attheexpiration of
thisperiod, theGovernment will
conduct areview ofitspolicy to
determine whether tolicense
additional suppliers ofsuch
services .S/GBT/W/1/Add.17
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
a. Voice telephone services
(Including public paytelephone
services, operator and
emergency services)
- Fixed network infrastructure
- Forpublic use
- Local(1) Nobypass ofnetwork facilities
oftheduopoly operators of
public voice telephony
(2) None
(3) Theregulator canlicense
additional suppliers oflocal
service tounderserved
population centres forwhich
theduopoly operators ofpublic
voice telephony have declined
rights offirstrefusal.
Only through joint venture with
Ghanaian national(s).
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measuresS/GBT/W/1/Add.17
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
b. Packet-switched data
transmission services
c. Circuit-switched data
transmission services
d. Telex services
e. Telegraph services
f. Facsimile services(1) Nobypass ofnetwork facilities
oftheduopoly operators of
public voice telephony
(2) None
(3) May establish ownnetwork
facilities; ormayobtain
transmission capacity, butonly
from theoperators ofpublic
voice telephony.
Only through joint ventures
withGhanaian national(s)
Inaddition totheabove, for
supply ofservices toclosed
usergroups (CUG) nobreakout
ofCUG networks intopublic
networks ispermitted
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measuresS/GBT/W/1/Add.17
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
g. Private leased circuit services (1) May besupplied1onlytothe
duopoly operators ofpublic
voice telephone service
(2) None
(3) May besupplied1onlytothe
duopoly operators ofpublic
voice telephone service.
Only through joint ventures
withGhanaian national(s).
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures
o. Other
Internet andInternet access services
(excluding voice)
Fixed satellite services (excluding
voice)
Teleconferencing services
Trunked radio services(1) Nobypass ofnetwork facilities
oftheduopoly operators of
public voice telephone service
(2) None
(3) Only through joint ventures
withGhanaian national(s).
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures.(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures
1Comprising thesale, resale orlease oftransmission capacity.S/GBT/W/1/Add.17
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
Mobile services:
Forpublic use
- Cellular/mobile telephone
services
- Mobile dataservices
- Personal communications
services
- Paging(1) Nobypass ofnetwork facilities
oftheduopoly operators of
public voice telephone service
(2) None
(3) Terrestrial services: Only
through joint ventures with
Ghanaian national(s).
Global satellite services: only
through arrangements with
licensed public operators, who
maynotenter into
arrangements withanyone
supplier which exclude them
from entering intoarrangements
withother suppliers
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures.(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures
Telecommunications equipment sales
(75410)(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measuresS/GBT/W/1/Add.17
Page7Modes 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
Telecommunications equipment rental,
maintenance, connection, repair and
consulting services (75420 -75450)(1) Commercial presence required
(2) None
(3) Only through joint ventures
withGhanaian national(s)
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measuresS/GBT/W/1/Add.17
Page8
ATTACHMENT: ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS
Scope
Thefollowingaredefinitionsandprinciplesontheregulatoryframeworkforthebasictelecommunications
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
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.S/GBT/W/1/Add.17
Page9
2. Interconnection
2.1 Thissection applies tolinking withsuppliers providing public telecommunications transport
networks orservices inorder toallow theusers ofonesupplier tocommunicate withusers ofanother
supplier and toaccess services provided byanother supplier, where specific commitments are
undertaken.
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) 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
Theproceduresapplicableforinterconnectiontoamajorsupplierwillbemadepubliclyavailable.
2.4 Transparency ofinterconnection arrangements
Itisensured thatamajor supplier 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) 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.S/GBT/W/1/Add.17
Page10
3. Universal service
AnyMemberhastherighttodefinethekindofuniversalserviceobligationitwishestomaintain.
Such obligations willnotberegarded asanti-competitive perse,provided theyareadministered in
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 a
decision 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.