The Hungarian Communications Market Developments and ...

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sional knowledge but also for the development of new measuring
equipment.
International role of the Measurement Service
The professional requirements, methodology and procedures of
measurement are internationally harmonized, thus the Measurement
Service, being a major partner of several national and international
organisations, has extensive international relations.
2.5 Identifier management
The identifiers required for the provision of communications services,
the operation of communications networks and the interoperability
thereof are a state property. In accordance with Eht., the Government
defines the basic principles and conditions of identifier management;
whilst NHH is in charge of the management of identifiers, including the
assignment and reservation thereof, the modification and withdrawal
of licenses, keeping records of such activities, and the publication of
any related information as laid down by legal regulations.
Regular Authority duties
The number of procedures related to the authorization of identifiers
has been fairly constant since 2004, with a continuous increase in
revenues from the fees for the use of identifiers. The National Plan
for the Allocation of Identifiers (ANFT) is reviewed once in every
three years, as laid down in Eht. Based upon the review in 2005, the
Authority presented a proposal for the fundamental revision of the
government decree on ANFT and identifier management and of the
ministerial decree on the fee for the reservation and use of identifiers.
As a result of the review, in 2008 the Authority recommended
modifications in response to the changes in communications markets
to facilitate the entry of new service providers to the market.
Key Authority projects
Identifier Management Database
In 2005, in accordance with the provisions of legal regulations, the
Authority established an Identifier Management Database to support
identifier management through keeping relevant records, which also
functions (on the website of NHH) as an online information supply
service to customers.
Number portability
Number portability, i.e. the right of subscribers to retain their
numbers when switching service providers, is an essential means
of boosting market competition. The implementation of number portability
was laid down in Directive 2002/22/EC, effective in Hungary
as of the date of the country’s accession to the EU. National regulations
defined the introduction of number portability as a multi-step
procedure: as of 1 January 2004 the portability of geographical
numbers used in fixed-location telephone networks and as of 1 May
2004 that of mobile numbers and numbers for services with special
rates (toll-free, split charge, premium rate) became possible under
EU provisions. In 2007, the previous government decree on the rules
of number portability was modified in accordance with the Authority’s
recommendations. As a result, the number portability procedure
has become faster, with nomadic (or location-independent) numbers
also falling under portability rules as of 1 January 2008.
In cooperation with service providers, NHH has been playing a
crucial role in the technical implementation of number portability,
in preparing the pertaining legislation, and in the establishment and
continuous operation of the Central Reference Database required for
implementation.
Central Reference Database (KRA)
The Central Reference Database is an element of the technical implementation
of number portability, which contains and handles routing
information of all ported numbers and service provider information as
laid down by law. Established by NHH in accordance with legal regulations,
KRA started operating on 1 January 2004, on the date of the
introduction of number portability. 2006 developments also extended
to the interconnection of the number portability Central Reference
Database and the Identifier Management Database, which enables the
control of number portability reports. In 2007, after consultations with
service providers, KRA functions were improved and extended based
upon the modification of number portability rules.
Preparation for the new numbering system
The appearance of a multitude of new technological solutions
and services as well as the convergence of telecommunications,
informatics, and media inevitably call for a review of the Regulatory
Strategy as regards identifiers and for fundamental changes in the
currently applied numbering system. Therefore, in 2008, after carrying
out comprehensive analyses, the Authority developed a strategy
for setting up and introducing a long-term numbering system.
International activities
The Authority also participates in the work of several international
organisations in connection with identifier management on a regular
basis, including ITU (ITU-T SG2), the European Communications
Committee (ECC WG NNA) and the Standardisation Institute (ETSI
TISPAN WG4). The Authority’s contribution is directed towards the
elaboration of European recommendations and reports as well as
the transposition of international regulations.
The transposition of Decision 2007/116/EC on the use of the
national numbering range beginning with 116 was a key event of
the period between 2004 and 2008. Hungary was one of the first
countries in Europe to introduce numbers 116000 (hotline for missing
children) and 116111 (child helpline).