The Telecommunications (Interconnection) Regulations 1997

Essential Requirements

7.—(1) The Director may specify conditions based on essential requirements to be included in any interconnection agreement. These conditions shall be published in accordance with regulation 8.

(2) In exercising their functions under section 7 of the Act, the Secretary of State and the Director shall take all necessary steps to ensure that insofar as is practicable in all the circumstances the availability of telecommunication systems run by Public Operators is maintained in the event of catastrophic network breakdown or in exceptional cases of force majeure, such as extreme weather, earthquakes, flood, lightning or fire.

(3) In specifying conditions under regulation 7(1) above, the Director shall ensure that any conditions for interconnection related to the availability in the event of accidents, or the integrity, of telecommunication systems run by Public Operators shall be proportionate and non-discriminatory and based on objective criteria identified in advance.

(4) In specifying conditions under regulation 7(1) above, the Director may specify conditions in order to ensure interoperability of services, including conditions designed to ensure satisfactory end-to-end quality. The conditions may impose specific technical standards, specifications, or codes of practice agreed by the parties who, in the Director’s opinion, are directly concerned.

(5) In specifying conditions under regulation 7(1) above, the Director may specify conditions in order to ensure the protection of data, to the extent necessary to ensure compliance with relevant regulatory provisions on the protection of data including protection of personal data, the confidentiality of information processed, transmitted or stored, and the protection of privacy.