WARNING:
This Digest was prepared for debate. It reflects the legislation as
introduced and does not canvass subsequent amendments. This Digest
does not have any official legal status. Other sources should be
consulted to determine the subsequent official status of the
Bill.

The Telecommunications (Numbering Fees) Act 1991
presently provides for the payment of a one-off fee when a
telephone number is allocated in accordance with section 242 of the
Telecommunications Act 1991.There is a provision for the
payment of an additional fee in respect of the allocation of
'special' numbers.

The telecommunications industry is currently the subject of a
complete regulatory revision and the background to that revision
can be found in a digest of the Telecommunications Bill
1996.

The Telecommunications (Numbering Fees) Act 1991 will,
in fact, be repealed on 1 July 1997 and be 'replaced' by the
Telecommunications (Numbering Charges) Act
1996.Consequently, the changes made by this Bill are only relevant
until that time.

This Bill amends the Telecommunications (Numbering Fees)
Act 1991 to impose an annual charge on numbers held by
carriers and service providers (Items 7 and
8 in Schedule 1).

Item 6 sets out the circumstances in which and
the period throughout which a carrier or service provider, Telstra
or Optus is taken to "hold" a number:

a carrier or service provider holds a number where the number
has been allocated to it under section 242(1) of the
Telecommunications Act 1991.It is taken to hold that
number until:

a) the number is recovered by AUSTEL;

b) the number is returned to AUSTEL;

c) where the number is allocated to Telstra, the number is
allocated by Telstra to Optus in connection with the supply of AMPS
(i.e. the analogue mobile network).

in addition to being taken to hold a number when it has been
allocated to it under section 242(1), Telstra is also taken to hold
a number where no allocation is in force, where:

a)Telstra (or any of its predecessors) has allocated a number
to a customer and the allocation is in force at that time; or

b) the number is available to be allocated by Telstra to a
customer.

in addition to being taken to hold a number when it has been
allocated to it under section 242(1), Optus is taken to hold a
number where a number has been allocated to it by Telstra and the
number is for use in connection with the supply of AMPS (Advanced
Mobile Phone System) services.

The amount of the charge imposed on a number is to be
ascertained in accordance with a determination made by AUSTEL
(Item 9).That charge cannot exceed $100,000
(Item 10).

AUSTEL is empowered to exempt a specified number from charge
(Item 11).

Lee Jones
5 February 1997
Bills Digest Service
Information and Research Services

This Digest does not have any official legal status. Other
sources should be consulted to determine whether the Bill has been
enacted and, if so, whether the subsequent Act reflects further
amendments.

IRS staff are available to discuss the paper's contents
with Senators and Members and their staff but not with members of
the public.

ISSN 1323-9031
Commonwealth of Australia 1996

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of the Australian Parliament in the course of their official
duties.

Published by the Department of the Parliamentary Library,
1997.

This page was prepared by the Parliamentary Library,
Commonwealth of Australia
Last updated: 25 March 1997