The Telecommunications (Services for Disabled Persons) Regulations 2000

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations further implement Article 8 of Directive 98/10/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the application of open network provision (ONP) to voice telephony and on universal service for telecommunications in a competitive environment (O.J. No. L101, 26.2.98, p.24) (“the Revised Voice Telephony Directive”).

Article 8 of the Revised Voice Telephony Directive was implemented in outline in the Telecommunications (Open Network Provision) (Voice Telephony) Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998/1580) by providing, at Regulation 12, for the Secretary of State and the Director General of Telecommunications to take specific measures, where they consider it appropriate, to ensure equal access to and affordability of fixed publicly available telephone services for disabled users and users with special social needs.

These Regulations, by modifying existing licences granted under section 7 of the Telecommunications Act 1984, impose on public telecommunications operators (“PTOs”) obligations to make provision for disabled customers. They oblige PTOs to consult on matters relevant to disabled persons; to provide access to a text relay service; to operate a reduced charging structure for customers using textphones; to offer a priority fault repair service to eligible customers; to operate a “protected service” scheme to reduce disconnections; and, where public call boxes are operated by a PTO, to provide public call boxes which are adapted and equipped for disabled persons (Schedule 1 to the Regulations).

These Regulations also modify licences granted under section 7 of the 1984 Act to certain non-PTO public call box operators, obliging them to consult on matters relevant to disabled persons and on the design of public call boxes, and to provide public call boxes which are adapted and equipped for disabled persons (Schedule 2 to the Regulations).

The licences modified by these Regulations may be inspected at the Library of the Office of Telecommunications (OFTEL), 50 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7JJ. The licence granted to British Telecommunications plc is published by HMSO, price £19.95.

A regulatory impact assessment is available and can be obtained from Communications and Information Industries Directorate, Department of Trade and Industry, 151 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9SS. Copies have been placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament.