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RESPONSE TO CONSULTATIONS

The Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (the "GRA") is responsible for the regulation of the electronic communications sector in Gibraltar in accordance with Gibraltar and EU legislation.

On 27th August 2019, the GRA issued a public consultation entitled about the licensing of mobile/fixed communications networks in Gibraltar, including 5G mobile communications services. Interested parties were invited to comment on 6 specific questions and provided them with the opportunity to raise any general comments. By the close of the consultation period, the GRA had received responses from 4 interested parties.

Having considered all views, the GRA sets out in this Response to Consultation and Decision Notice, its conclusions regarding the Consultation and the way forward in respect to the allocation of spectrum for Mobile/Fixed Communications Network services, including 5G.

On 10 June 2015, the Authority issued a national consultation on wholesale call origination on the public telephone network provided at a fixed location and wholesale call termination on individual public telephone networks provided at a fixed location, (public consultation C02/15). The consultation period ended on 10th July 2015.

The Authority received submissions from one operator listed below by close of the consultation period. The detailed responses to the consultation were provided by:

Gibtelecom.

The Authority has in this document set out how, on a preliminary basis, it has defined the market for wholesale call termination on individual public telephone networks provided at a fixed location as susceptible to ex ante regulation, and has assessed the market to see if there was evidence of market power.

The Authority thanks the respondents for their submissions. Having considered the views of the respondents, the Authority sets out in this document its conclusions regarding the market review process including its SMP obligations and subsequent notification to the Commission, BEREC and other NRA�s in accordance with Article 7 of the Framework Directive.

On 17th June 2015, the Authority issued a national consultation on wholesale mobile call termination and wholesale SMS termination on individual mobile networks, (public consultation C03/15). The consultation period ended on 16th July 2015.

The Authority received submissions from two operators listed below by close of the consultation period. The detailed responses to the consultation were provided by:

  • Gibtelecom
  • Eazitelecom
     

The Authority has in this document set out how, on a preliminary basis, it has defined markets for wholesale call termination on individual mobile networks as susceptible to ex ante regulation, and has assessed those markets to see if there was evidence of market power.

The Authority thanks the respondents for their submissions. Having considered the views of the respondents, the Authority sets out in this document its conclusions regarding the market review process including its SMP obligations and subsequent notification to the Commission, BEREC and other NRA's in accordance with Article 7 of the Framework Directive.

The communications regulatory framework requires the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA or the Authority) to define relevant markets susceptible to ex-ante regulation, appropriate to national circumstances in accordance with the market definition procedure outlined in the Framework Directive. In addition, the Authority is required to conduct an analysis of the relevant markets to decide whether or not they are effectively competitive and, having identified competition problems, propose appropriate regulatory measures.

On 22nd January 2014, the Authority issued a national consultation on retail access to the public telephone network, retail local calls and retail international calls provided at a fixed location (Public Consultation No. 01/14).

The Authority received submissions from the two operators listed below by the close of the consultation period. The detailed responses to the consultation were provided by:

Gibtelecom

Sapphire Networks

The Authority thanks the respondents for their submissions. Having considered the views of the respondents, the Authority sets out in this document its conclusions regarding the market review process including its SMP obligations and subsequent notification to the Commission, BEREC and other NRA's in accordance with Article 7 of the Framework Directive.

The Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (the "GRA") is responsible for the regulation of the electronic communications sector in Gibraltar in accordance with Gibraltar and EU legislation.

Under the Communications Act 2006, the GRA manages the electromagnetic spectrum on behalf of Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar, which includes issuing licences for telecommunications and broadcasting services in Gibraltar. The GRA's powers include:

 

  • specifying the nature of the telecommunications systems and services which operators are permitted to operate and provide under licence; and setting conditions on such operation and provision.

 

On the 3rd December 2013, the GRA issued a Public Consultation (the "consultation") proposing the procedure to license the provision of 4G mobile communications services in Gibraltar.

As explained, the introduction of 4G mobile is particularly suited to the provision of better mobile data services, faster speeds and improved quality of service, which means that, potentially, broadband delivered over mobile networks could be as good as or, in some circumstances, even better than broadband delivered over the fixed network.

The focus of the consultation is on the process for licensing 4G services in Gibraltar and, in this context, to set out the GRA's plans for the spectrum bands which should be granted access for the provision of 4G services. In this regard, the GRA considered current spectrum assignments, the spectrum available, and how this may best be offered to mobile operators.

Response to Consultation and Notification to European Commission Document No. 14/07 - Wholesale Fixed Markets

Response to Consultation and Notification to European Commission Document No. 13/07 - Retail Fixed Markets