HL Deb 19 November 2003 vol 654 cc310-1WA
Lord Elton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 29 October (WA 41), why the letter from the Director General of Telecommunications at Oftel was not published in the Official Report with that Answer in the customary manner; and whether they will arrange for it to be published with their Answer to this Question.[HL5359]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)

The Director General of Telecommunications at Oftel has now written to Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts, and I have arranged for his letter to be published in theOfficial Report with this Answer.

Letter from the Director General of Telecommunications at Oftel, dated 12 November 2003.

MOBILE TELEPHONE NUMBERS: COMPREHENSIVE DIRECTORY

You asked a question in the House of Lords on 29 October 2003 on the subject of mobile telephone numbers and their presence in a universal database. Lord Sainsbury has asked me to respond directly to you as your question is in relation to an issue that falls under my responsibilities as Director General of Telecommunications.

At present there is one "universal" database of UK telephone numbers. The universal database is maintained by a stand-alone unit of BT and is known as OSIS (the Operator Services Information System). OSIS contains the details of fixed as well as mobile numbers, and is available to directory enquiry service providers on a cost-orientated basis.

Some mobile telephone numbers are currently available via OSIS and there is a manual process to allow those consumers who wish to have a listing to be added. (Consumers can of course choose to be ex-directory, whether they have a mobile or a fixed telephone.)

I understand that, at present, BT and the mobile operators are working on the automated process necessary to ensure that mobile telephone numbers can be easily transferred to OSIS. Once these discussions are complete, it is likely that general mobile data will be available in early 2004 although, as I mentioned above, a consumer can have their data inputted on to OSIS at present via a manual system.

However, I should stress that, whilst the industry negotiations thus far have proceeded positively, they do involve complex issues, including the consideration of key matters such as cost recovery, therefore there is a possibility of a dispute being brought to my attention.

Under the General Conditions of Entitlement, Communications Providers (including mobile providers) must provide their subscribers directory data on terms that are fair and cost-orientated and in a format agreed between the two parties. If BT and any of the mobile operators fail to reach agreement on, for example, the cost of this data or the format in which it is supplied, then Oftel or (after 29 December 2003) Ofcom will be called on to formally resolve their dispute. As you are aware, Ofcom will take on its responsibilities on 29 December and will aim to resolve any dispute submitted to it within 4 months.

I am copying this to Lord Sainsbury of Turville.