The "co-operation" of telecommunications networks and the associated provision of open network access are of central importance for competition. To enable competition between the new entrants and the former monopolist access by new operators to the telecommunications network of the former monopolist shall be ensured by interconnection of the networks and, where appropriate, by providing unbundled access to the local loop.
| Info Box 11: Definition of "Interconnection" |
| Pursuant to Art. 3 Z 16 TKG, interconnection is defined as "network access establishing the physical and logical connection between telecommunications networks to allow users connected to different telecommunications networks direct or indirect communication". |
- the technological aspects of interconnection
- the services to be enabled by interconnection
- the charges for interconnection services
Prior to explaining the standards forming the basis for open network provision and the cost accounting principles to be applied in greater detail, a chapter on the Austrian telecommunications infrastructure shall be included at this stage. It is the aim of this "digression" to describe essential technological aspects relevant to open network provision so that the subsequent sections can be more understood more easily.
| Info Box 12: Definition of "Unbundling" |
| Unbundling of the local loop denotes the obligation, pursuant to Art. 37 (1) TKG in connection with Art. 3 ZVO, imposed on organisations with significant market power to make available to other operators against payment the line segments of the access network from the local exchange to the subscriber. |
| Info Box 13: Definition of "Fixed network" |
| The telecommunications infrastructure for fixed network services, also called "fixed network", consists of the total of communication cables (optical fibres, coaxial cables and copper cables) and radio links, the associated transmission facilities (modems, multiplexers, concentrators etc.) as well as the switching systems for speech (exchanges, switches) and data (routers, switches). |
III.2.2.1 Excursus: the Austrian telecommunications infrastructure
The telecommunications infrastructure in Austria is modern and highly developed and forms a sound basis for reliable and high-quality telecommunications services. The fixed network exchanges of the major telecommunications operator Telekom Austria have been fully digitised since the beginning of 2000; the existing mobile networks, except for the D network of Mobilkom which is being phased out, carry also speech transmission to the terminal only in digital form, whereas the majority of subscribers in the fixed network are still analogue.
III.2.2.1.1 Telecommunications infrastructure for fixed network services
To allow a systematic approach, networks are divided into the access network and the core network.
- As per definition, the access network is used to connect
subscribers to the switches in the core network. In the past, such connection
was mainly effected via the local loop - a copper pair linking the subscriber's
premises ("network socket") to the nearest switch of Telekom
Austria. Alternative network operators can have access to the existing
subscribers lines due to unbundled access to the local loop; in addition,
in future the network operators will be able to connect subscribers
to the core network by using "Wireless Local Loop" (WLL) technology.
Some new operators have direct access to the customer because they make
use of the existing networks of cable and radio providers (however,
for voice telephony upgrades/expansions are usually required), have
their own lines or have installed new lines. Finally, in this connection
it shall be mentioned that it is also possible to transmit data via
electricity utility networks. This is being tested by a provincial electricity
utility in a field trial.
- In the core network the switches of a telecommunications provider are connected to each other. The line capacities in the core network are dimensioned such that even during peak hours connections can be set up and data packets can be routed with low blocking probability. For this purpose, lines are partly designed also redundantly in order to prevent the breakdown of network parts due to unexpected events, such as broken cables. In Austria, several telecommunications operators have a nationwide core network. Other alternative operators have only a regional core network or implement their core network by including acquired leased lines.
III.2.2.1.2 Telecommunications infrastructure for mobile communications services
At the end of 1999, in Austria the following public mobile communications networks were operative:
- three GSM networks (of Mobilkom, max.mobil. and Connect) with digital speech transmission at the air interface
- one mobile telephone network (D network of Mobilkom) with analogue speech transmission at the radio interface.
Each of these networks has its independent infrastructure covering the entire Austrian territory. Thus, calls within a network can be made without using the services of other networks. To enable calls to other networks some switching centres of each network are interconnected with other fixed and mobile networks either directly or indirectly.
The infrastructure of a public mobile communications system is composed of the following main elements:
Access network:
- Base stations
- Base Station Controller (control units for groups of base stations)
- Connections between these network components
Core network:
- Mobile Switching Centre (switching centres or exchanges)
- Connections between these network components
The connections between the network components are implemented via the operator's own lines, leased lines or radio links.
The base stations consist of antennas mainly mounted on masts or roofs and switching cabinets containing the associated transmission facilities. Connection to the mobile phones is established via the base stations by means of radio transmission. The transmission range of a base station is between 1 and 30 kilometres. The degree of coverage of the population, i.e. the share of the population theoretically able to make calls from their place of residence using a public mobile telephone system, is above 90% with all public mobile telephone systems.
To achieve this value every operator needs between 2000 and 3000 base stations. In areas with high traffic volume, i.e. in areas where lots of calls are made, additional base stations to those required for general coverage need to be set up. These are often so-called microcells using very small antennas which are mounted on houses only a few metres above street level. Microcells supply an area of a few hundred metres in diameter and are used in urban conurbations. A few dozens of base stations each are connected to a Base Station Controller which is responsible for logical control of these base stations. Mobilkom has these connections implemented via leased lines, max.mobil. and Connect use either leased lines or radio links. Moreover, several Base Station Controllers are taken together and connected to switching centres. Each GSM operator has about ten switching centres.
