Telecommunications Act 1984

8 Special provisions applicable to certain licences. U.K.

(1) This section applies to any licence granted under section 7 above to a particular person which includes conditions requiring that person—

(a) to provide such telecommunication services as are specified in the licence or are of a description so specified;

(b) to connect to any telecommunication system to which the licence relates, or permit the connection to any such system of, such other telecommunication systems and such apparatus as are specified in the licence or are of a description so specified;

(c) to permit the provision by means of any telecommunication system to which the licence relates of such services as are specified in the licence or are of a description so specified;

(d) not to show undue preference to, or to exercise undue discrimination against, particular persons or persons of any class or description (including, in particular, persons in rural areas) as respects any service provided, connection made or permission given in pursuance of such conditions as are mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs (whether in respect of the charges or other terms or conditions applied or otherwise); and

(e) to publish, in such manner and at such times as are specified in the licence, a notice specifying, or specifying the method that is to be adopted for determining, the charges and other terms and conditions that are to be applicable to such services so provided, such connections so made and such permissions so given as are specified in the licence or are of a description so specified.

(2) Where a licence granted under section 7 above to a particular person includes a condition requiring that person to provide such directory information services to which this subsection applies as are specified in the licence or are of a description so specified, subsection (1) above shall have effect as if the conditions there mentioned included a condition requiring that person to provide without charge for subscribers who are blind or otherwise disabled such directory information services to which this subsection applies as are appropriate to meet the needs of those subscribers and are specified in the licence or are of a description so specified.

(3) Subsection (2) above applies to any directory information service which is provided for the purpose of facilitating the use of a voice telephony service and in that subsection “blind or otherwise disabled” means so blind or otherwise disabled as to be unable to use a telephone directory.

(4) It is immaterial for the purposes of subsections (1) and (2) above whether the person to whom the licence is granted is required to refer for determination by the Director such questions arising under the conditions mentioned in those subsections as are specified in the licence or are of a description so specified.

(5) Before granting a licence to which this section applies, the Secretary of State or the Director shall give notice—

(a) stating that he proposes to grant the licence and setting out its effect;

(b) stating the reasons why be proposes to grant the licence; and

(c) specifying the time (not being less than 28 days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed licence may be made,

and shall consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(6) A notice under subsection (5) above shall be given by publication in such manner as the Secretary of State or the Director considers appropriate for bringing the matters to which the notice relates to the attention of persons likely to be affected by them.