Universal Service Obligation

The USO ensures that basic fixed line telephone services are available to end users at an affordable price. The scope of universal service is defined by the 2002 EU Directive which was implemented in Ireland by the European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Universal Service and User’s Rights) Regulations 2003 – S.I. No.308 of 2003.

In 2003, Eircom was designated as the Universal Service Provider for three years and again in July 2006 (refer to ComReg 06/29). Eircom’s current term lasts until June 2009. As USP, eircom must comply with the following obligations.

Provision of access at a fixed location

The USP must satisfy any reasonable request to provide connections to the public telephone network and access to publicly available telephone services. Also any connection provided by the USP must be capable of:

Local, national and international telephone calls
Facsimile (fax) communications
Data communications at data rates that are sufficient to permit functional internet access (the USP is currently required to adopt 28.8kbps as a reasonable minimum data rate)

The USP will be required to consider all requests for connections as reasonable if the expenditure involved in meeting the request is less than €7000 and the cost to the applicant shall not exceed the standard connection charge.

Requests for connections which involve expenditure in excess of €7000 are to be considered reasonable if the applicant agrees to pay the standard connection charge plus incremental costs above €7000.

Directory Services and Directories

The USP is required to provide end users a comprehensive printed directory of subscribers, free of charge and updated at least once a year, based upon information supplied to it in accordance with the National Directory Database (NDD).

Also the USP must keep a record in the NDD of all subscribers of publicly available telephone services in the state, including those with fixed, personal and mobile numbers who have not refused to be included in that record and allow access to any information contained in such a record to any such other undertaking or any person in accordance with the terms and conditions approved by ComReg.

Public pay telephones

The USP shall ensure that public pay telephones are provided to meet the reasonable needs of end users in terms of geological coverage, number of telephones, accessibility of such telephones to users with disabilities and the quality of services.

Payphones that are covered under the USP are those available on the street and in other public areas available to the public at all times (i.e. unrestricted access).

Specific measures for users with disabilities

The USP shall provide a dedicated section of its website, accessible from the homepage, with information on the services it provides which are of particular interest to people disabilities.

The Usp shall maintain a code of practice concerning the provision of services for people with disabilities and shall periodically review, where appropriate, amend the code in consultation with the National Disability Authority (NDA) and other representative bodies. The most current version of eircom’s code of practice can be found eircom’s website under “about us” - “regulatory information”.

The USP must provide the following specific services:

For users that are hearing impaired
1. Inductive couplers which allow users with a hearing aid set to connect to their telephone in order to allow them to hear incoming speech clearly
2. Amplifier phones which allow the user to increase the volume of incoming speech
3. Teleflash visual alert which shows a flashing light, or makes a loud noise when the telephone rings
For users that are hearing and/or speech impaired
1. A text relay service providing facilities for the receipt and translation of voice messages into text and the conveyance of that text to the text phone of customers of any operator, and vice versa.
2. A rebate scheme whereby, as a result of the time taken to make a text telephone call, equality of payment for deaf text telephone users can be assured
For users with limited dexterity or mobility
1. Push button telephone sets with speed and automatic redial buttons allowing pre-programmed telephone numbers (typically the most called numbers) or last called telephone numbers to be dialled without having to re-enter the telephone number.
2. Hands free/loudspeaker phones means that the handset does not need to be used at all.
For users with restricted vision
1. Restricted vision telephones which can help people with restricted vision to find other numbers more easily
2. Braille billing free of charge
For users unable to use the phone book because of a disability
1. Special directory enquiry arrangements to allow the use of Directory Enquiry services free of charge

Affordability

The regulations require that the USP adheres to the principal of maintaining affordability for universal services. Currently, affordability is maintained by way of a number of different measures which include:

Within the price cap regime, overall safeguard control on consumers bills (online rental and calls)
The Department for Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) Free Telephone Rental Allowance (FTRA) under the Household Benefit Scheme
Vulnerable user scheme

Quality Of Service (QOS)

Eircom is also required to publish information on its performance in providing USO services. Performance indicators from the first quarter of 2006 can be accessed on eircom's website under "About Us" - "Regulatory information". The indicators are presented under the headings of