February 14, 2024 Results of Solicitation for Opinions on Draft Guidelines for Approval Standards for Regional Telecommunications Services Using Telecommunications Facilities of Other Telecommunications Carriers of NTT East and West, and Announcement of the Guidelines

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) solicited opinions on the draft Guidelines for Approval Standards for Regional Telecommunications Services Using Telecommunications Facilities of Other Telecommunications Carriers of NTT East and West from Saturday, December 16, 2023 through Friday, January 19, 2024. As a result, four opinions were submitted, and MIC has decided to open the submitted opinions, along with MIC’s view on them. In addition, they announce Guidelines for Approval Standards for Regional Telecommunications Services Using Telecommunications Facilities of Other Telecommunications Carriers of NTT East and West.

1. Overview

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporation (NTT East and West) must contribute to the adequate, fair and stable provision of nationwide telephone services which are indispensable to the lives of Japanese citizens under the provision of Article 3 of the Act on Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, etc. (Act No. 85 of 1984, hereafter referred to as the “NTT Act”). Furthermore, they must provide regional telecommunications services using telecommunications facilities installed by themselves from the viewpoint of contributing adequate and stable provision under the provision of Article 2, Paragraph 5 of the NTT Act.
On the other hand, with the 2020 amendment of the NTT Act, they are able to provide the telecommunications services using telecommunications facilities of other telecommunications carriers (wireless fixed-line telephones) with the permission of the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications under the proviso of Article 2, Paragraph 5 of the NTT Act only in exceptional cases where the provision of telephones using analog subscriber lines would be extremely uneconomic, in order to contribute to the future provision of telephone services at low prices.
With consideration of the above, MIC has finalized the Guidelines for Approval Standards for Regional Telecommunications Services Using Telecommunications Facilities of Other Telecommunications Carriers of NTT East and West in order to clarify in advance the view of the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications on approval and to enhance predictability for other related carriers.

2. Results of solicitation for opinions

MIC solicited opinions on the draft Guidelines for Approval Standards for Regional Telecommunications Services Using Telecommunications Facilities of Other Telecommunications Carriers of NTT East and West from Saturday, December 16,2023 through Friday, January 19, 2024. As a result, four opinions were submitted.

3. Material published

With the results of the solicitation for opinions, MIC has finalized the Guidelines for Approval Standards for Regional Telecommunications Services Using Telecommunications Facilities of Other Telecommunications Carriers of NTT East and West.

4. Future initiative

MIC will start operating the Guidelines for Approval Standards for Regional Telecommunications Services Using Telecommunications Facilities of Other Telecommunications Carriers of NTT East and West from today.

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  The published materials are in Japanese only.