Telecom-Control-Commission and Post-Control-Kommission

The Telekom-Control Commission (TKK) has been responsible for regulating the Austrian telecommunications market since 1997. The tasks and responsibilities of this regulatory authority, which is not bound by the instructions of any other body, are defined precisely in the Austrian Telecommunications Act of 2003. Among other things, the TKK is in charge of competition regulation, frequency allocation procedures, the approval of general terms and conditions of business, as well as monitoring the fees charged by telecommunications companies. Another of the TKK's key duties is its role as the supervisory authority for electronic signatures.

As of January 1, 2008, a second board was established within the TKK for matters related to postal services in accordance with the Austrian Postal Service Act. Pursuant to the transitional provision in Art. 58 of the Postal Market Act, the committee is to be known as the Postal Control Commission (PCK) until the Postal Market Act goes into effect on January 1, 2011. In this area, the responsibilities of the PCK include prohibiting the closure of post offices, approving general terms and conditions of business as well as fees for reserved postal services, and taking supervisory measures. In procedures related to ensuring the availability of post offices throughout the country, the PCK is also supported by the Post Office Advisory Board, which was established as a new advisory body under the Postal Market Act.

RTR's Telecommunications Division provides operational support for the TKK and the PCK. The TKK and the PCK comprise in each case three main members and three alternate members, each of whom is appointed by the Austrian federal government for a term of five years. The current chairwoman of the TKK and the PCK is Elfriede Solé.