ICP's Operational Guidelines

After having analysed the proposals presented by PT Comunicações concerning telephone access to the Internet, that specifically included proposals for the offer of flat-fee packages, ICP, in a deliberation of January 5, 2001, decided the following:

a)PT Comunicações must, in negotiation with the other operators, contemplate a reduction in the number of PGIs to which an ISP must be connected in order to guarantee local or simple traffic coverage in a specific region. Such negotiations must be concluded, and the result transmitted to ICP, by February 15, 2001;

b) The proposal for flat-fee Internet access must be complemented by a price and service quality proposal for the means of transmission between PGIs and POPs, resulting in lower price levels and deliver service quality levels that match market needs;

c) In consideration of objectives related to promotion of the Information Society, current communications market practices, and the global evolution of the interconnection market in 2001, a recommendation is made to PT Comunicações that flat-fee Internet access in local interconnections should not exceed PTE 2,000$00 for the off-peak period and PTE 4,000$00 for unlimited access (amounts excluding VAT);

d) All the modalities currently available should be maintained, and consideration should be made of their evolution in the light of the global solution being developed.

In the near future, ICP shall make available a more detailed document, in order to further the present discussion concerning flat-fee Internet access with interested operators and consumer rights associations.