In the context of quality of service, OSPs have highlighted issues related to the repair of faults, emphasising that:
(a) The quality of service targets established at wholesale level for the repair of faults have a direct impact on the definition of the quality of services targets provided to end-users and should be defined in such a way as to ensure the competitiveness of the retail offers of the alternative operators in comparison to the offer of the operator with SMP, while reflecting the different needs of different market segments;
(b) The quality of service provided in the repair of faults constitutes an important element in terms of the relationship between the end-user and the operator directly responsible for the provision of retail services;
(c) The quality of service in the repair of faults takes on greater significance with the retail provision of innovative and more demanding services (e.g. bundled services, including television services);
(d) The increase seen in the number of unbundled loops results in an increase in the absolute number of faults, making it more relevant in terms of market coverage to ensure that the users of this service enjoy appropriate levels of quality of service in terms of the repair of faults.
Of the variables that influence the quality of service in the repair of faults, there is an urgent requirement to examine the need to amend the RUO in four areas:
(a) Time taken to repair faults and implementation of premium levels;
(b) Availability of the local loop;
(c) Compensation payments to RUO beneficiaries in case of non-compliance; and
(d) Conditions of access to exchanges by the offer beneficiaries.
It should be noted that, in relation to the issue of quality of service, this Authority has already intervened to increase the transparency of information on the performance of PTC with respect to the provision of a number of regulated services, including those provided under the RUO, also allowing a comparison with the services provided (internally) by PTC at retail level 1.
Following the implementation of this determination, it will be possible to evaluate, based on more objective data, the possible need to redefine certain targets in order to ensure conditions of non-discrimination in the provision of services at retail level.
1 See determination of 11 March 2009 on the publication of the levels of performance in the quality of service (QoS) of wholesale offers, available at Levels of performance in the quality of service of wholesale offershttps://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=885299.
- Time taken to repair loops and implementation of premium levels https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=336013
- Availability of the local loop https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=336014
- Joint interventions https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=336015
- Compensation for non-compliance https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=336016
- Compensation allocation method https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=336017
- Submission of demand forecasts by OSPs and the allocation of compensation https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=336018
- Conditions of access to exchanges by the beneficiaries of the offer https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=336019
