July 22, 2020 Appeal for Opinions on Draft Fourth Report of Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges and Draft Guidelines for Verification of Wholesale Charges for Designated Equipment Wholesale Services

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) will make an appeal for opinions from Thursday, July 23 through Wednesday, August 26, 2020, on the fourth report drafted by the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges (chaired by Masatsugu Tsuji, President and Professor at Kobe International University), along with guidelines for the verification of wholesale charges for designated equipment wholesale services drafted by MIC based on the drafted fourth report.

1. Background

MIC organized the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges* in March 2017. Since then, the Study Group has been deliberating on the interconnection system, which is the basis for ensuring fair competition, so that various services can be provided smoothly in a fair competition environment.
The Study Group issued the third report in September 2019. After that, the Study Group held nine meetings up to June 2020. While listening to the opinions of related businesses and business organizations as observers, and the Study Group’s discussions and verifications continued, focusing on the status of efforts to work on various issues listed in the third report. The Information and Communications Council issued the final report on the assessment of the state of competition in the telecommunications business field in December 2020. With consideration of the final report, the Study Group started deliberating on the ideal state of wholesale telecommunications services using class I designated telecommunications equipment or class II designated telecommunications equipment at the 27th meeting that was held in December 2019.
Recently, the Study Group drafted the fourth report based on the results of its study. With consideration of the draft report, MIC drafted the guidelines for the verification of wholesale charges for designated equipment wholesale services, and MIC has decided to make this appeal for opinions on them.

• *
  The name was changed from the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges in December 2019.

2. Guidelines for appealing opinions

1. Subjects of appeal for opinions

• Draft Fourth Report of Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges
• Draft Guidelines for Verification of Wholesale Charges for Designated Equipment Wholesale Services

2. Submission deadline

No later than Wednesday, August 26, 2020 (Submission of opinions by mail, must also arrive no later than the deadline date.)

3. Future plans

With consideration of opinions submitted, the Study Group will further deliberate and finish the report. At the same time, MIC will establish the guidelines for the verification of wholesale charges for designated equipment wholesale services and open the same along with the report to the public.

4. Method for obtaining references

Reference information will be posted on the public comment page of the e-Gov (https://www.e-gov.go.jp/en/ ).