Link: Singapore's shock structural separation policy for NGN | CommsDay.
In a surprise development, the Singapore Government has decreed the structural separation of new national broadband network infrastructure from the operating company that will operate its switches and routers.
Il governo di Singapore ha deciso la separazione strutturale della infrastruttura a banda larga dalle società che gestiranno router e switch.
It also said it would provide up to S$750m of funding for the network which it is putting up for tender.
Il governo parteciperà al finanziamento con 750 milioni di dollari; la realizzazione della rete sarà messa all'asta.
At a twilight press conference yesterday, the Singapore government issued a Request for Proposal for the passive infrastructure. Under the RFP, a Network Company, or NetCo, will be selected to design, build and operate Layer 1 passive infrastructure that will carry the NGN traffic, expected to range between 100Mbps and 1Gbps to the end user, with a minimum upload speed of 50Mbps.
Il governo ha emesso una richiesta di offerta per la realizzazione di una rete in fibra passiva che portera' da un minimo di 100Mbps a un masismo di 1Gbps per abitazione con velocità minima di upload di 50Mbps
A separate Layer 2/3 Operating Company or Opco will deploy the electronics such as switches and routers to manage the flow of traffic on the passive infrastructure. This same entity will offer wholesale broadband access to downstream Retail Service Providers, or RSPs.
Una società/divisione separata che opera solo all'ingrosso (bitstream, ndr) installera' la parte elettronica (switch e router). L'offerta al dettaglio verrà fornita da Service Provider.
There must be operational separation between the Opco and the RSPs. This effective double layer of separation appears to be the most extreme requirement of any NGN regulatory regime in the world and will likely prove controversial with those in the industry who say that separating out network design from the operator of its electronics is likely to lead to massive inefficiencies and friction.
ci si aspetta critiche da quelli che sostengono che la separazione tra servizi e rete porta inefficienze
Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, Dr Lee Boon Yang said he expected the network to be complete by 2015 with 50% coverage by 2012.
copertura totale entro il 2015, 50% di copertura entro il 2012
SEPARATE OPCO COMPANY: A separate RFP for the Opco company will be issued by the second quarter of next year.
la gara per la società di gestione dell'elettronica avverrà nel secondo trimestre 2008
"A Next Generation Broadband Network will contribute to Singapore's continued economic success.
"La rete di nuova generazione contribuirà a continuare il successo economico di Singapore..
It is also critical for the Next Gen NBN to provide effective open access to downstream operators. This will create a more vibrant and competitive broadband market. As a policy, we have therefore decided to adopt separation between the different levels of the Next Gen NBN to achieve effective open access." "The RFP to construct the network will therefore provide for structural separation of the passive network operator from the downstream operators. If necessary, the Government is also prepared to consider legislation to achieve such effective open access for downstream operators in the next generation broadband market," said Dr Lee.
... Lo facciamo per aumentare la concorrenza e garantire accesso aperto a tutti e siamo pronti anche a fare delle leggi specifiche" - il Ministro delle comunicazioni di Singapore
..The RFP, which is expected to close on 25 March 2008, will be evaluated based on four key criteria:
- Attractiveness of business plan to industry
- Quality of network infrastructure
- Level of Government grant
- Financial proposition and strength of bidder
These criteria will be weighted with the first representing 43% of the importance of the evaluation criteria.
I criteri di aggiudicazione sono attrattività del business plan per l'industria, qualità della rete, livello di finanziamento del governo, garanzie finanziarie. Il primo pesa il 43% del giudizio
...It has already published a list of 12 prequalified bidders but indicated last night this could be expanded. It said if new bidders are qualified or new consortium leads are appointed, the IDA will extend the closing date to 5 May 2008, or by about 40 days, in order to conform to government procurement guidelines
C'e' ancora la possibilita' di iscriversi e partecipare. (psst psst. sentito, Telecom Italia, Italtel ?)
The 12 existing bidders include Singapore Telecom, Starhub, Deutsche Telekom, NTT, Hong Kong Broadband Network, BT, Axia of Canada and various consortia representing a mix of vendors, private equity investors and carriers.
Ci sono gia' 12 partecipanti. Si notino Deutsche Telekom e BT, ma, soprattutto consorzi di venditori di hardware e investitori privati.
Come dire... la "utility rete" attrae finanziamenti... (psst psst.. sentito, Bersani, Gentiloni, ecc.)
.. The most obvious implication of the policy is that it might force the likely frontrunner for the tender, incumbent Singapore Telecom, to undertake a break-up of its domestic operation
L'implicazione più ovvia è che si forerebbe la separazione delle attività domestiche del monopolista di Singapore...
Singapore Telecom itself appears to believe this was the original intention, with an Australian document prepared by Optus-led consortium G9 in June
Il monopolista di Singapore ritiene che questa fosse l'intenzione del governo, e cita la proposta del G9 Australiano (vedi sotto)
opining "the Singapore Government has created a competitive environment for the construction of a national broadband network by calling for collaborative interest from the incumbent, and other potential infrastructure providers, for the construction and operation of the network. This project began, in part, from perceived delays by the incumbent in investing in high speed broadband infrastructure and also a desire on the part of the Singapore Government to lead other countries in investing in broadband infrastructure."
il governo chiede la partecipazione collaborativa dell'incumbent e di altri fornitori. Il progetto è iniziato, in parte, per la percezione dei ritardi nell'investimento da parte del monopolista e per il desiderio del governo che Singapore guidi altri paesi nell'investimento in infrastruttura a banda larga.
Possiamo chiedere in prestito per un mesetto il governo a Singapore ?
Fantastico. Chi potrebbe razionalmente opporsi ? Beh, in Australia, l'Autorita' di regolamentazione.
Link: ACCC rejects G9 proposal with a thumbs-up: News - Communications - ZDNet Australia.
Competition watchdog the ACCC has rejected a draft proposal by the Optus-led G9 consortium on building Australia's fibre-to-the-node network, despite giving the plan a cautious thumbs-up.
The draft proposal, lodged in April this year by the G9 consortium, saw it propose the creation of an open access fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) network to be run by a separate company it created, named FANOC.
respinta la proposta dei 9 operatori alternativi per creare One Network in fibra (la società si sarebbe chiamata Fanoc)
The proposed system would see FANOC offering wholesale broadband and voice telephony services over the FTTN network, without itself participating in any retail activities.
Fanoc avrebbe venduto solo all'ingrosso, non al dettaglio
While the ACCC noted it has no technological favouritism, it says it is satisfied with the pricing structure and the "vertically separated" approach used by the G9.
La proposta di separare la verticalizzazione dell'industria e' ritenuta positiva dall'autorita'
"The ACCC also considers that a vertically separated ownership model could reduce incentives for the access provider to discriminate between downstream users of the access service and, therefore, facilitate strong and effective competition between access seekers in retail markets.
L'Autorita' ritiene che avrebbe aumentato la concorrenza al dettaglio
Where such an ownership model is in place, the ACCC considers the need for regulatory oversight of non-price terms and conditions of access, in particular, could be relatively low," the ACCC said in the document responding to the draft.
L'Autorita' ritiene che la sorveglianza che dovrebbe esercitare sulla non discriminazione nelle condizioni tecniche ed economiche tra operatori diminuirebbe molto
..."The ACCC is generally comfortable with FANOC's proposed long-term approach to pricing, which would provide a high degree of regulatory certainty for significant new investments, and notes the initial prices for the first three-year access period may be in the appropriate range," the draft decision says.
L'autorita' ritiene che i prezzi per il primo periodo di 3 anni sarebbero corretti e ci sarebbe molta certezza delle regole.
However, the decision voices concerns that G9 may have too much freedom to set access prices during the last 12 years the SAU covers, without sufficient regulatory constraints; as well as having too much discretion to change the product line-up or non-price access conditions.
E allora, perche' non va bene ? perche' la proposta che prevede liberta' nella fissazione dei prezzi all'ingrosso nei 12 anni successivi, senza vincoli regolamentari, sarebbe stata troppo discrezionale.
Arriveranno questi vincoli sui 12 anni successivi ? vedremo.
Intanto, la fibra ride di brutto a Singapore.
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