Workshop on Fixed-Mobile
Interconnection
PART II
THE NEW REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK IN MOROCCO
Geneva, 20-22 September 2000
Map of Morocco
Some Facts





Population (millions)
28 to 30
Area (sq. Km)
710,850
GDP per capita ($)
1260
Inflation rate (April 2000)
2,2%
Language : Arabic, Berbers, business
conducted in French, English and Spanish
Some Facts (cont.)
 Largest phosphate reserves in the world
 Diverse agricultural (including aquaculture)
sector
 Oil and gas recently discovered
 Large tourism industry
 Growing manufacturing sector
 Considerable inflows of funds from Moroccans
working abroad
 Growing foreign direct investments
The telecommunications sector context
 New telecommunications law (law 24-96)
 One state-owned operator (Maroc Telecom)
• Fixed Line Services : 1,5 million subscribers
• Teledensity : 5%
• Wireless Services : 6000 subscribers for NMT
and over 400,000 subscribers for GSM (over
250 000 prepaid cards)
• The Second GSM private Operator (Medi Telecom)
• Two GMPCS Operators
• ORBCOMM Maghreb (positioning; messaging)
• TESAM Maroc (all services)
• Three VSAT Operators (SpaceCom, Gulfsat Maghreb, Argos)
Before the 24-96 law
Creation of the National Post and Telecommunication Office (ONPT) in
1984
 ONPT started associating the private sector in network building
“civil engineering works connections and cable laying”, 1988
 In 1989, the private sector was authorized to set up and
commercialize terminal equipment.
 In 1992 ONPT launched the public phone project by associating the
private sector in managing the public phones.
 For the internet, ONPT has authorized in 1995 the internet service
providers to offer Internet services by using its fixed network.
The 24-96 Law
After 73 years of the state owned monopoly domination, it was
decided in August 1997 to completely liberalize the Telecom sector.
The incumbent became a corporation and its privatization is
currently under way.
A mobile phone license was issued for the profit of MEDITELECOM
in order to operate a second GSM Network.
2 GMPCS licenses were issued. 3 VSAT licenses were issued.
The main objective of issuing the second GSM license was to
introduce progressively competition in the Telecom Market
as it is stated in the 24-96 Law.
The 24-96 Law
• Open competition to all telecommunication activities
• Does not impose the time limits for opening market
segments to competition
• Liberalize price except for those related to the Universal
Service and interconnection
• Set up a financial contribution required by all operators
for the benefit of the Universal Service, land management,
R&D and training.
The 24-96 Law aims at :
 Create an efficient and transparent regulatory framework.
 Enhance the telecom Network and keep up with technology
progress in the era of an open Telecom Market.
 Fulfill the universal service mission.
 Contribute via the telecom sector to the development of
national economy.
The 24-96 Law aims at :
 Separate between telecommunication and post activities
 Separate between regulatory matters and operational
issues
 Create a regulatory organization (ANRT) for the
Telecom sector.
National Telecommunication Regulatory Agency
(ANRT)
 A Prime Minister Public Agency.
 Prepare studies and regulatory acts for the Telecom
sector.
 Ensure the strict application of the rules.
 Financially autonomous body.
ANRT ATTRIBUTIONS
Missions
Past
Now
Frequency spectrum
management
Minstère des Postes et
Télécommunications
ANRT
Preparations of regulatory acts
Minstère des Postes et
Télécommunications
ANRT
Office National des Postes et
Télécommunication
ANRT
equipment approval
Tenders preparation for license
issuing
Tariff proposition
ANRT
Office National des Postes et
Télécommunication
ANRT
Interconnection dispute
settlement
ANRT
Cryptography control
ANRT
The Regularly Framework
1. License regime
 Public Network using the public
phone domain
 Public Network using the radio
spectrum
2. Authorization regime
 Private Networks
3. Agreement regime
 Radio electric settlement
 Terminal equipment
 Test and monitoring laboratory
4. Declaration Regime
 Value added services
5. Regime of free settlement
 Internal Networks
 Low power radio
The Interconnection decree
• Define the obligations of competitive
operators
• Define the role of ANRT as regulator
OPERATORS ’OBLIGATIONS
Respect principles and rules of interconnection.
Produce all necessary information to the
regulator.
Operators who hold a market share higher than
20% of a telecommunications service must
submit an interconnection offer to the regulator
for approval. Also they shall inform the
regulator regularly of the modifications
concerning the interconnection offers.
THE ROLE OF ANRT
Ensure clear terms, conditions and fair prices
for interconnection
Make sure that the interconnect agreement is in
accordance with the interconnection decree
and approve the interconnection offer
Impose sanctions and penalties for violation of regulation
Play a role of arbitrator in the interconnect dispute
ANRT AS ARBITRATOR
REFERALL TO THE ANRT
How?
When?
Inquiry
of the dispute file made
30 days
by
the Director of the
ANRT
No conclusion of the
interconnect
agreement
Post-agreement
disputes
Decision of the
(administrative
committee)
15 days
SOME SIGNIFICANT
GSM FIGURES
IAM GSM subscribers
MEDITEL GSM subscribers
MÉDITEL service
1000000
launch
900000
800000
700000
600000
500000
400000
Appel à
expression
d’intérêt
Licence
process
launch
IAM Prepaid
cards launch
License
awarding to
MEDITEL
300000
200000
100000
0
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998mar- jun- sept- jan- mar- may- jun99 99 99 00 00 00 00
CONCLUSION
1- The deregulation of telecommunication in Morocco progresses
in time and space.
2- Th new reforms opened widely Morocco to competition in the
telecommunications sector.
3- Moroccan Customers and the economy of the kingdom benefit
from the new reforms of the sector.
4- Deregulation does not mean absence of rules.
5- A minimum intervention is necessary whenever it is required
using coordination and arbitrage.