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House of Lords

Session 2002 - 03 Internet Publications Other Bills before Parliament

Communications Bill

Communications Bill
EXPLANATORY NOTES
Explanatory notes to the Bill, prepared by the Department of Trade and Industry and
the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are published separately as HL Bill 41—
EN.
EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
The Baroness Blackstone has made the following statement under section 19(1)(b) of
the Human Rights Act 1998:
I am unable (but only because of clause 314) to make a statement that, in my view, the
provisions of the Communications Bill are compatible with the Convention rights.
However, the Government nevertheless wishes the House to proceed with the Bill.
HL Bill 41 53/2
Communications Bill
Contents
Part 1
Functions of OFCOM
Transferred and assigned functions
1        Functions and general powers of OFCOM
2        Transfer of functions of pre-commencement regulators
General duties in carrying out functions
3        General duties of OFCOM
4        Duties for the purpose of fulfilling Community obligations
5        Directions in respect of networks and spectrum functions
6        Duties to review regulatory burdens
7        Duty to carry out impact assessments
8        Duty to publish and meet promptness standards
9        Secretary of State’s powers in relation to promptness standards
Media literacy
10        Duty to promote media literacy
OFCOM’s Content Board
11        Duty to establish and maintain Content Board
12        Functions of the Content Board
Functions for the protection of consumers
13        Consumer research
14        Duty to publish and take account of research
15        Consumer consultation
16        Membership etc. of the Consumer Panel
17        Committees and other procedure of the Consumer Panel
18        Power to amend remit of Consumer Panel
HL Bill 41 53/2
Communications Bill iv
International matters
19        Representation on international and other bodies
20        Directions for international purposes in respect of broadcasting functions
General information functions
21        Provision of information to the Secretary of State
22        Community requirement to provide information
23        Publication of information and advice for consumers etc.
Employment in broadcasting
24        Training and equality of opportunity
Charging
25        General power to charge for services
Guarantees
26        Secretary of State guarantees for OFCOM borrowing
Provisions supplemental to transfer of functions
27        Transfers of property etc. from pre-commencement regulators
28        Transitional functions and abolition of pre-commencement regulators
Part 2
Networks, services and the radio spectrum
Chapter 1
Electronic communications networks and services
Preliminary
29        Meaning of electronic communications networks and services
Notification by providers
30        Advance notification to OFCOM
31        Designations and requirements for the purposes of s. 30
32        Notification of contraventions of s. 30
33        Enforcement notification for contravention of s. 30
34        Penalties for contravention of s. 30
Administrative charges imposed on providers
35        Fixing of charges
36        Supplemental provision about fixing charges
37        Notification of non-payment of charges
38        Penalties for non-payment of charges
39        Suspending service provision for non-payment
Communications Bill v
40        Enforcement of directions under s. 39
Register of providers required to notify or to pay charges
41        Duty of OFCOM to keep publicly accessible register
Conditions of entitlement to provide network or service etc.
42        Power of OFCOM to set conditions
43        Persons to whom conditions may apply
44        Tests for setting or modifying conditions
45        Procedure for setting, modifying and revoking conditions
46        Directions and approvals for the purposes of a s. 42 condition
47        Delivery of copies of notifications etc.
General conditions: subject matter
48        Matters to which general conditions may relate
General conditions: customer interests
49        Conditions relating to customer interests
50        Approval of codes of practice for the purposes of s. 49
51        Approval of dispute procedures for the purposes of s. 49
52        Orders by OFCOM in the absence of conditions under s. 49
General conditions: telephone numbers
53        The National Telephone Numbering Plan
54        Conditions to secure access to telephone numbers
55        Conditions about allocation and adoption of numbers
56        Telephone numbering conditions binding non-providers
57        Modification of documents referred to in numbering conditions
58        Withdrawal of telephone number allocations
59        Numbering reorganisations
60        General duty as to telephone numbering functions
General conditions: must-carry obligations
61        Must-carry obligations
Universal service conditions
62        Obligations to be secured by universal service conditions
63        Designation of universal service providers
64        Subject-matter of universal service conditions
65        Tariffs etc. for universal services
66        Directories and directory enquiry facilities
67        Review of compliance costs
68        Sharing of burden of universal service obligations
69        Report on sharing mechanism
Communications Bill vi
Access-related conditions
70        Permitted subject-matter of access-related conditions
71        Specific types of access-related conditions
72        Conditional access systems and access to digital services
73        Modification and revocation of conditions imposed under s. 72
Privileged supplier conditions
74        Imposition of privileged supplier conditions
SMP conditions: procedure
75        Circumstances required for the setting of SMP conditions
76        Market power determinations
77        Proposals for identifying markets and for market power determinations
78        Delivery of copies of notifications under ss. 76 and 77
79        European Commission’s powers in respect of proposals
80        Special rules for transnational markets
81        Review of services market identifications and determinations
82        Review of apparatus market identifications and determinations
83        Cases where review required
SMP services conditions: subject matter
84        Conditions about network access etc.
85        Conditions about network access pricing etc.
86        Conditions about network access in exceptional cases
87        Conditions about carrier selection and pre-selection
88        Conditions about regulation of services etc. for end-users
89        Conditions about leased lines
SMP apparatus conditions: subject matter
90        Conditions about apparatus supply
Enforcement of conditions
91        Notification of contravention of condition
92        Enforcement notification for contravention of conditions
93        Penalties for contravention of conditions
94        Amount of penalty under s. 93
95        Power to deal with urgent cases
96        Confirmation of directions under s. 95
97        Suspending service provision for contraventions of conditions
98        Suspending apparatus supply for contraventions of conditions
99        Procedure for directions under ss. 97 and 98
100        Enforcement of directions under ss. 95, 97 and 98
101        Civil liability for breach of conditions or enforcement notification
OFCOM’s duty to intervene on network access issues
102        Consideration and determination of network access questions
Communications Bill vii
Electronic communications code
103        Application of the electronic communications code
104        Procedure for directions applying code
105        Register of persons in whose case code applies
106        Restrictions and conditions subject to which code applies
107        Enforcement of restrictions and conditions
108        Enforcement notification for contravention of code restrictions
109        Penalties for contravention of code restrictions
110        Suspension of application of code
111        Procedure for directions under s. 110
112        Modification and revocation of application of code
113        Notification of cessation by person to whom code applies
114        Transitional schemes on cessation of application of code
115        Compulsory acquisition of land etc.
116        Power to give assistance in relation to certain proceedings
Regulation of premium rate services
117        Conditions regulating premium rate services
118        Approval of code for premium rate services
119        Orders by OFCOM in the absence of a code under s. 118
120        Enforcement of s. 117 conditions
121        Suspending service provision for contraventions of s. 117 conditions
Offences relating to networks and services
122        Dishonestly obtaining electronic communications services
123        Possession or supply of apparatus etc. for contravening s. 122
124        Improper use of public electronic communications network
Persistent misuse of network or service
125        Notification of misuse of networks and services
126        Enforcement notifications for stopping persistent misuse
127        Penalties for persistent misuse
128        Statement of policy on persistent misuse
Powers to deal with emergencies
129        Powers to require suspension or restriction of a provider’s entitlement
130        Enforcement of directions under s. 129
Restrictions in leases and licences
131        Restrictions in leases and licences
Information provisions
132        Information required for purposes of Chapter 1 functions
133        Information required for related purposes
134        Restriction on imposing information requirements
135        Notification of contravention of information requirements
136        Penalties for contravention of information requirement
137        Suspending service provision for information contraventions
Communications Bill viii
138        Suspending apparatus supply for information contraventions
139        Procedure for directions under ss. 137 and 138
140        Enforcement of directions under ss. 137 and 138
141        Offences in connection with information requirements
142        Statement of policy on information gathering
143        Provision of information by OFCOM
Abolition of telecommunications licensing etc.
144        Repeal of provisions of Telecommunications Act 1984
Local authority powers in relation to networks and services
145        Powers of local authorities in connection with networks
Grants for networks and services in Northern Ireland
146        Grants by Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment
147        Grants by district councils
Interpretation of Chapter 1
148        Interpretation of Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Spectrum use
General functions relating to spectrum use
149        General functions of OFCOM in relation to radio spectrum
150        United Kingdom Plan for Frequency Authorisation
151        Duties of OFCOM when carrying out spectrum functions
152        Advisory service in relation to interference
153        Directions with respect to the radio spectrum
154        Procedure for directions under s. 153
Reservation of spectrum for multiplex use
155        Special duty in relation to television multiplexes
Recognised spectrum access
156        Grant of recognised spectrum access
157        Effect of grant of recognised spectrum access
158        Charges in respect of grants of recognised spectrum access
159        Conversion into and from wireless telegraphy licences
Crown use of the radio spectrum
160        Payments for use of radio spectrum by the Crown

© Parliamentary copyright 2003	Revised 7 March 2003