RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/GBT/W/1/Add.8
27January 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-0319)
Original: English Group onBasic Telecommunications
COMMUNICATION FROM BULGARIA
Draft Schedule ofCommitments onBasic Telecommunications
Theattached communication iscirculated attherequest ofBulgaria toMembers oftheGroup
onBasic Telecommunications.
_______________
Bulgaria reserves theright tomake anytechnical changes andtocorrect anyomissions or
inaccuracies.S/GBT/W/1/Add.8
Page2BULGARIA -DRAFT SCHEDULE OFCOMMITMENTS 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.C.
TELECOMMUNICATION
SERVICES (UNCPC )
AllsectorsThehorizontal reservations contained inthe
horizontal section ofdocument
WT/ACC/BGR/5/Add.2 apply.
Theinstallation andusage of
telecommunication equipment andnetworks
andtheprovision oftelecommunication
services requires aconcession, licence,
permission orregistration from aBulgarian
authorised body.
Thenumber oflicences maybelimited
depending ontheavailability ofscarce
resources andduetotechnical reasons
(spectrum availability, numbering capacity,
temporary lackofaccess points)
*BTC LTD -Bulgarian Telecommunications
company LTDAsannexed.
(a) Voice telephone services
7521
Local/Long distance/
International (using any
network technology,
facilities-based)
- forpublic use(1) BTC Ltdhasexclusive rights for
facilities based services until 31
December 2004 andforpublic voice
telephony until 31December 2002
(2) None
(3) BTC Ltdhasexclusive rights for
facilities based services until 31
December 2004 andforpublic voice
telephony until 31December 2002
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal sectionS/GBT/W/1/Add.8
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
- fornon-public use (1) None
(2) None
(3) Connection tothepublic
telecommunications network isnot
allowed.
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
bandc.Packet-and
circuit-switched data
transmission services
7523(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
d.Telex services
7523
e. Telegraph services
7523(1) BTC Ltdhasexclusive rights for
facilities based services until 31
December 2004 andfortelegraph and
telex services until 31December 2002
(2) None
(3) BTC Ltdhasexclusive rights for
facilities based services until 31
December 2004 andfortelegraph and
telex services until 31December 2002
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal sectionS/GBT/W/1/Add.8
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
f.Facsimile services
7521(1) Only through theuseoftheinternational
network ofBTC Ltd.
(2) None
(3) Only through theuseoftheinternational
network ofBTC Ltd.
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
g. Leased circuit services
7523(1) Simple resale notallowed
(2) None
(3) Simple resale notallowed
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
o.Other
Mobile services
- Analogue cellular voice
services(1) Only through useoftheinternational
network ofBTC Ltd.until 31December
2002.(1) None
- Digital cellular voice
services(2) Only through useoftheinternational
network ofBTC Ltd.until 31December
2002 andaccording totheinternational
NMT450 andGSM agreements(2) NoneS/GBT/W/1/Add.8
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
(3) Only through useofBTC Ltd.
infrastructure until 31December 2002,
except inthecaseifBTC Ltdisnot
abletoprovide thenecessary
infrastructure inthelimited period of
time.
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section.(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
- Paging services
- Mobile dataservices(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
Satellite services (1) BTC Ltdhasexclusive rights forpublic
voice telephony until 31December 2002
(2) None
(3) BTC Ltdhasexclusive rights forpublic
voice telephony until 31December 2002
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal sectionS/GBT/W/1/Add.8
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
VSAT-services
- forpublic use(1) BTC Ltdhasexclusive rights forpublic
voice telephony until 31December 2002
(2) None
(3) BTC Ltdhasexclusive rights forpublic
voice telephony until 31December 2002
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
- fornon-public use (1) None
(2) None
(3) Connection tothepublic
telecommunications network isnot
allowed.
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
Note: Adoption ofanewTelecommunications Actisexpected until theendofyear1997.S/GBT/W/1/Add.8
Page 7
ANNEX
ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS
DRAFT SCHEDULE OFCOMMITMENTS ONBASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS
REPUBLIC OFBULGARIA
SCOPE
Thefollowing aredefinitions andprinciples ontheregulatory framework forthebasiccommunications
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.S/GBT/W/1/Add.8
Page 8
2. INTERCONNECTION
2.1. Thissection applies tolinking among suppliers providing public telecommunications transport
networks orservices inorder toallow theusers ofonesupplier tocommunicate withusers ofanother
supplier, andtoaccess services provided byanother supplier, where specific commitments are
undertaken.
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
subscribers 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 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) 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.S/GBT/W/1/Add.8
Page 9
3. UNIVERSAL SERVICE
AnyMember hastherighttodefine hekindofuniversal 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.
4. PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OFLICENSING CRITERIA
Where alicense isrequired, thefollowing willbemade publicly available:
(a) allthelicensing criteria andtheperiod oftimenormally required toreach adecision
concerning anapplication foralicense and
(b) theterms andconditions ofindividual licenses.
Thereason forthedenial ofalicense 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 AND USEOFSCARCE RESOURCES
Anyprocedure fortheallocation anduseofscarce resources, including frequencies, numbers andrights
ofway, willbecarried outinanobjective, timely, transparent andnon-discriminatory manner. The
current stateofallocated frequency bands willbemade publicly available, butdetailed identification
offrequencies allocated forspecific government usesisnotrequired.