Highlights and Activities for Weeks 21 to 24
International Meetings
The following is a list of meetings which the MCA participated in during the given period.
1. One of our Project Coordinators attended the Spark 13 conference in Granada,Spain. This conference is the 4th Global Forum on Telecentres in Europe.
2. The Manager for Economic and Financial Analysis, together with our Financial Analyst attended the CRRU Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics in Ireland.
3. Our Legal Advisor attended a seminar in Florence on the state of the Telecoms Industry – Towards a European Single Market in Telecommunications and Media, whilst another of our Legal Advisors attended a conference on regulation of infrastructure, also in Florence.
4. A Communications Committee (COCOM) meeting was held in Brussels and was attended by our Chief of Policy and Planning, as well as our Manager on Economic and Financial Analysis.
5. The Manager on External Relations attended the ERGP Contact Network Meeting in Brussels.
6. The Council Working Party meeting held in Luxembourg was attended by our Chief Information Officer.
7. The 15th BEREC Plenary was held in Greece and was attended by our Acting Chief Executive Office and the Chief of External Relations.
8. Our Chief of Spectrum Management and Technology and our Manager on Policy and Planning attended the recent RSPG Meeting in Brussels.
9. One of our Board Members, Godfrey Vella, who was recently appointed Digital Champion for Malta, attended a meeting on the Digital Agenda in Dublin.
Publications
1. Technical Guideline on Reporting Incidents: These Guidelines are intended for electronic communications service providers and establish the thresholds which will serve as the basis upon which the severity of outages is established and provides technical guidelines on incident reporting. See http://www.mca.org.mt/service-providers/guidelines/technical-guideline-reporting-incidents
2. Consultation on Itemised Billing: The MCA is consulting on the minimum level of information to be included in the ‘basic level itemised bill’; the information that is to be included in the ‘detailed itemised bill ’; and the provision and format of the ‘basic level itemised bill’ and ‘detailed itemised bill'. The deadline for submission of feedback has been extended to 19th July 2013. See http://www.mca.org.mt/consultations/itemised-billing
3. Consumer complaints report: A report covering complaints and enquires for the month of March as been published and can be viewed here. See http://www.mca.org.mt/consumer/statistics/consumer-complaints-received-and-dealt-mca-march-2013
Events
• Our Chief Legal Advisor participated in a information seminar organised by MCCAA on various consumer laws including distance selling regulations.
Legal Update
1. Administrative Review Tribunal
• DHL vs MCA – an on-site visit at the request of DHL was held. The case stands adjourned for final submissions.
• GPL vs MCA – a court sitting was held where parties concluded their evidence. The case has now been adjourned for the final written submissions of the parties to the appeal.
• Melita vs MCA – this case refers to the removal of the NAT Geo music channel, where MCA imposed a fine on Melita for having failed to notify MCA. A sitting was held whereby parties made their oral submissions and the case has been adjourned for a final decision.
• Melita vs MCA - this case refers to a contestation of a decision on retail access given in 2012. The case was decided against the MCA, which has the faculty of appealing this decision before the Court of Appeal.
• GO vs MCA – this case refers to a contestation against an MCA decision on markets 4 and 5. Two sittings were held, during which three witnesses gave evidence. The case has been adjourned for the submission of further evidence.
2. Other adjudicative fora
• Sesco vs MCA – Sesco is submitting its evidence. The case has been adjourned.
• Melitanet vs MCA – Melitanet failed to attend the sitting. The Court gave Melitanet another opportunity to regularise its position. The case has been adjourned.
• Vodafone vs MCA et – this refers to a constitutional application contesting a Legal Notice issued in 2000 establishing the interconnection rates between GO Mobile and Vodafone. The case was adjourned for Court’s decision.
• Lija Local Council vs Melita & MCA – parties are discussing the possibility of an amicable settlement.
3. Other
• Legal is currently in tandem with HR revising various family friendly measures relating to MCA employees.