Appeal for Opinions on Fair Competition Review System Promoting Broadband Diffusion

1. Background, etc.

　With regards to the “Basic Policy” for broadband diffusion (decided on and officially announced in December 2010), the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) makes continuous annual checks of measures included in the final report from the “Task Force for ICT Policy in a Global Era” (December 2010) and is conducting comprehensive verifications of the effectiveness and suitability of these measures approximately three years after implementation of system maintenance.

　In view of this, the Information and Communications Council reply concerning the “state of environmental maintenance for promotion of broadband diffusion” (December 2011) proposed the establishment of a “Fair Competition Review System Promoting Broadband Diffusion” as a structure for verification of new fair competition environments from the perspective of promoting the diffusion of broadband through maintenance, etc. of fair competition environments in the telecommunications market.

　Accordingly, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has compiled draft “Guidelines for Application of Fair Competition Review System Promoting Broadband Diffusion” for the application of this system.

　Draft “Tentative Verification Results based on Fair Competition Review System Promoting Broadband Diffusion (Verification of State of Initiatives, etc. Promoting Broadband Diffusion)” have also been compiled for provisional verification of the state of initiatives, etc. promoting broadband diffusion based on these draft guidelines from the point of view of quickly commencing the continuous checks set forth in the above-mentioned “Basic Policy”.

　The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) will seek opinions on both drafts from February 18 (Sat) to March 19 (Mon), 2012.

2. Subjects of appeal for opinions

　Draft “Guidelines for Application of Fair Competition Review System Promoting Broadband Diffusion”

　Draft “Tentative Verification Results based on Fair Competition Review System Promoting Broadband Diffusion (Verification of State of Initiatives, etc. Promoting Broadband Diffusion)”

　Deadline for submission of opinions: must arrive by 17:00 on March 19 (Mon), 2012 (mailed submissions must also arrive by this date)

　Once preparations have been made, it will be possible to inspect these drafts at the contact address provided at the end of this document, and they will also be published in the “Reports and documents” area of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) website (http://www.soumu.go.jp) as well as in the “Public comment” field of e-Gov (http://www.e-gov.go.jp), the electronic coordinated government contact website.

3. Schedule

　Based on all of the opinions received, the MIC will promptly make a decision on the “Guidelines for Application of Fair Competition Review System Promoting Broadband Diffusion” and compile the final “Verification Results based on Fair Competition Review System Promoting Broadband Diffusion (Verification of State of Initiatives, etc. Promoting Broadband Diffusion)”, followed by an official announcement.

Related reports and documents, etc.

About Basic Policy concerning “Path of Light” Concept (published December 14, 2010)
Announcement regarding Timetable for Implementation of “Path of Light” Concept (published December 24, 2010)
Partial Revision to Guideline for Application of the Competition Safeguard System (published July 7, 2008)
Installation Status of Fixed Terminal System Transmission Line Equipment at End of FY 2010 (published July 22, 2011)
Quarterly Data on Telecommunications Service Contract Numbers and Market Share Published (FY 2011 Q2 (End of September 2011)) (published December 16, 2011)
Official Announcement of “2010 Assessment of State of Competition in Telecommunications Business Field” (published September 7, 2011)
State of Environmental Maintenance for Promotion of Broadband Diffusion – Report from Information and Communications Council (published December 20, 2011)