November 28, 2022 Results of Solicitation of Opinions on Verification Guidelines for the Relationship between Interconnection Charges, etc. and User Charges in the Area of Mobile Communication and on Verification Guidelines for the Relationship between Interconnection Charges and User Charges in the Area of Fixed Communication, Publication of the Guidelines, and Requests to Implement Verification Guidelines for the Relationship between Interconnection Charges, etc. and User Charges

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) solicited opinions from September 29 through October 28, 2022 regarding draft Verification Guidelines for the Relationship between Interconnection Charges, etc. and User Charges in the Area of Mobile Communication and draft revision of Verification Guidelines for the Relationship between Interconnection Charges and User Charges in the Area of Fixed Communication. As a result, 15 opinions were submitted. Accordingly, MIC discloses the submitted opinions and MIC's views on those opinions, along with the finalized guidelines.
In conjunction with this, MIC has made requests to NTT Docomo Inc. (headed by II Motoyuki), KDDI Corporation (headed by TAKAHASHI Makoto), Okinawa Cellular Telephone Company (headed by SUGA Takashi), SoftBank Corp. (headed by MIYAKAWA Junichi), Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation (NTT East; headed by SHIBUTANI Naoki), and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporation (NTT West; headed by MORIBAYASHI Masaaki) to implement verification of the relationship between interconnection charges, etc. and user charges based on these guidelines.

1. Background

MIC organized the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges, etc.* in March 2017, which has been deliberating on the current interconnection system, which is the basis for ensuring fair competition, and other matters for providing various services smoothly in a fair competition environment. The Study Group published the Sixth Report of the Study Group on Calculation of Interconnection Charges, etc. on September 9, 2022.
In the report, it was presented that it is appropriate that MIC take necessary measures, including (1) newly formulation of the verification guidelines in the area of mobile communication, and (2) revision of the verification guidelines in the area of fixed communication, in terms of the verification of the relationship between interconnection charges, etc. and user charges.
Against this background, MIC solicited opinions from September 29 through October 28, 2022 regarding draft Verification Guidelines for the Relationship between Interconnection Charges, etc. and User Charges in the Area of Mobile Communication and draft revisions of Verification Guidelines for the Relationship between Interconnection Charges and User Charges in the Area of Fixed Communication. As a result, 15 opinions were submitted.
Today, considering the results of the solicitation, MIC has formulated and revised the guidelines, and has also made requests to NTT Docomo Inc., KDDI Corporation, Okinawa Cellular Telephone Company, SoftBank Corp., NTT East , and NTT West to implement verification of the relationship between interconnection charges, etc. and user charges based on these guidelines.

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

2. How to obtain reference information

MIC will make the reference information available for viewing and obtaining copies at the Tariff and Telecommunications Access Policy Division, Telecommunications Business Department, Telecommunications Bureau, MIC (10th Floor, MIC). Information will also be posted on the "Press Release" page of MIC's website, as well as on the public comment page of the e-Gov (https://www.e-gov.go.jp/en/ ).

• *
  The published materials are in Japanese only.