MIC COMMUNICATIONS NEWS

Results of Public Comments on Final Report from "Study Group for Wireless Broadband Promotion" and Release of Final Report

This study group mainly aimed at developing the world's most advanced wireless broadband services environment and providing concrete measures for frequency reallocation. We discussed the following issues openly, as well as at an industry-wide level.

- Study of developments in both domestic and international wireless broadband services
- Identification of future wireless broadband usage and market
- Identification of challenges in wireless broadband promotion, examination of measures for promotion, etc.

MIC will, paying due respect to the proposal from the Study Group, continue considering construction at the earliest possible stage of a wireless broadband environment, which will become a key to the realization of a ubiquitous network society.

Proposed Rulemaking to Introduce Mobile Number Portability
-Results of Public Comments on i) Draft MIC Ordinance to Amend Part of "Regulations for Telecommunications Numbers" and ii) Draft MIC Ordinance to Amend Part of "Rules for Reporting on Telecommunications Business"; and Report thereon from Information and Communications Council

On January 25, 2006, MIC received a report from the Information and Communications Council on i) a Draft MIC Ordinance to Amend Part of "Regulations for Telecommunications Numbers" and ii) a Draft MIC Ordinance to Amend Part of "Rules for Reporting on Telecommunications Business," stating that it is appropriate to amend those MIC Ordinances as inquired.Prior to the report, MIC invited public comments on those draft MIC Ordinances during the period from November 22 through December 21, 2005. During the period, MIC received 12 comments thereon. MIC will, paying due respect to the report and those public comments, amend those MIC Ordinances without delay.

Purpose of amendment
Mobile number portability (MNP) is being introduced from the viewpoint of both increasing convenience for users and promoting competition between mobile phone carriers. MIC will set up new regulations to take measures for the introduction of MNP in order to deal with carriers which provide services using telecommunications numbers (080 or 090) that identify the mobile phone terminal level between types of transmission line facilities.

Outline of draft amendment
Draft MIC ordinance for the partial amendment of "Regulations for Telecommunications Numbers"
The telecommunications carriers (mobile phone carriers) that have been designated telecommunications numbers to identify the mobile phone terminal level between types of transmission line facilities, must take measures in order to make two-way MNP possible.

However, these regulations do not apply to the telephone numbers attributed to the following terminal transmission line facilities:
a. Terminal transmission line facilities related to portable mobile earth stations (satellite maritime telephones and satellite mobile telephones)
b. Terminal transmission line facilities that only transmit data (telemetry etc.)

In addition, the measures for enabling mobile number portability will also not be necessary in cases of changing telecommunications carriers to receiv e the following mobile phone service s as of the date of enforcement of these regulations (November 1, 2006) :
i) services which have stopped concluding of new contracts
ii) services which have clearly stated commitment to stoppage of concluding new contracts

eg: a telecommunications carrier stops accepting new customers for second-generation mobile phone services

Draft MIC ordinance for the partial amendment of the "Rules for Reporting on Telecommunications Business"
It will be necessary to provide information anew on telephone number usage statistics related to number portability, concerning the state of usage of telecommunications numbers (other than 0AB-J numbers).

Future plans
MIC will take this report and the invitation to comment into consideration and will rapidly implement the draft partial amendments of the ordinances.

Public Comments to Be Invited on "Licensing Procedures For Introducing High-speed and Large-capacity Maritime Satellite Communications Systems" and MIC Notices Related Thereto

With respect to a draft MIC Ordinance "Licensing Procedures For Introducing High-speed and Large-capacity Maritime Satellite Communications Systems" and draft MIC Notices related thereto, MIC invited public comments thereon during the period from November 15 through December 15, 2005. During the period, MIC received five comments in favor of those drafts. Taking into account those public comments, MIC made the MIC Ordinance and MIC Notices effective as from January 2006. Through those rules, the introduction of high-speed and large-capacity maritime communications is allowed and expected to be promoted .

Background to amendment
An environment conducive to Internet use is rapidly being put in place by diffusion of optical fiber, ADSL and wireless LAN. There is also an increasing worldwide demand for high-speed and large capacity communication services on vessels at sea .

At the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-03) held in June 2003, deliberations were made upon Earth Stations on board Vessels (ESV), which are capable of transmitting/receiving high-speed and large-capacity satellite communications on vessels. Subsequently, WRC-03 allowed ESVs to communicate with space stations (satellite stations) for fixed satellite services in C band (6/4 GHz bands) or Ku band (14/12 GHz bands).

Under such circumstances, in response to the report from the Information and Communications Council on "technical requirements for ESVs on high-speed and large-capacity maritime satellite communications," MIC on October 12, 2005, inquired of the Radio Regulatory Council on the draft MIC ordinance to amend the "Regulations for Enforcement of the Radio Law (Radio Regulatory Commission Rules No. 14 of November 30, 1950)" and related regulations. These "Licensing Procedures" are needed for the introduction of ESV systems.

Outline of amended ordinances
Regulations for the licensing procedures related to ESV applications:
Partial amendment of the matter for specifying Regulations for Procedure for Obtaining a Radio Station License, and the codes for inserting into the columns of the sheet and sheet attached to an application form.

Putting in place regulations to be included in the operation of radio equipment related to ESV where qualification for radio operator s are is not required :
Partial amendment of the matter for specifying simple operations that do not require qualification as radio operator

Notice of the procedure for notification of people managing technical operations of radio equipment :
Matter for specifying procedure in cases of notification of people managing technical operations of radio equipment

Plans
MIC will took the received comments into consideration and put the rules into practice in January 2006.

International Policy Division,
International Affairs Department,
Telecommunications Bureau,
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
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