PostCon update:No new access agreements...

[POSTMAN]

Postcomm decides Royal Mail should not be required to offer terms for new access agreements for an interim transitional period

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Postcomm today announced that it has granted Royal Mail a dispensation from the requirement under Condition 9, Part 1, paragraph 2(b) of its licence to provide a statement of the main terms on which it would be prepared to offer access to its network within three months of receiving an application. Royal Mail submitted a formal application to Postcomm on 15 June 2011 for a dispensation from this obligation, and following consultation, Postcomm has confirmed its minded to decision to grant this request.



Royal Mail’s formal application to Postcomm requested a dispensation in relation to requests for access services at all points other than at Inward Mail Centres. Royal Mail argued that a dispensation would be reasonable during the period of review of the future access regime and that the consequent uncertainty about future access obligations meant that it would be inappropriate, both for Royal Mail and the market overall, for it to have to provide terms within the three month deadline.



Following consideration of the issues raised in the responses to its July 2011 consultation, Postcomm has decided to confirm its provisional view and, in these specific and exceptional circumstances, to grant the dispensation. In particular, Postcomm does not consider that it is appropriate to require Royal Mail to offer terms for access at other points in its network when the scope of its obligation to do so is the subject of ongoing review and there is uncertainty as to whether it would be obliged to offer such access under the new regulatory regime. The dispensation does not apply to any request for access to Inward Mail Centres.



Postcomm considers that this dispensation should apply for as long as an initial regulatory condition substantially similar to the existing Condition 9, Part 1, paragraph 2(b) remains in effect, or, if earlier, the date the first Universal Postal Services Order comes into force which itself will signal the date the new regulatory framework for postal services takes effect.



Notes to editors



• On 03 March 2011, Postcomm published a consultation on the future of the access regime, whereby Royal Mail is obliged to provide access to its network and deliver mail over the final mile on behalf of other operators and also for some of its customers.



• The first access agreement was entered into in the UK between Royal Mail and UK Mail in 2004. Since then, a number of other operators and postal users have entered into agreements with Royal Mail, almost all of which have involved access to Royal Mail’s downstream network at the Inward Mail Centre based on this 2004 contract. In 2009-10, around 6.4 billion items were sent via downstream access agreements - Royal Mail’s Regulatory Accounts 2009/10 (including international mail but excluding door-to-door).



• The Postal Services Act 2011 received Royal Assent on 13 June 2011, and as result regulation of postal services will transfer from the Postal Services Commission (Postcomm) to the Office of Communications (Ofcom). It is expected that vesting will take place on 01 October 2011.



This review is one of a number of strands of work being taken forward by Ofcom as part of the development of a new regulatory framework for post.


Notes to editors

• On 03 March 2011, Postcomm published a consultation on the future of the access regime, whereby Royal Mail is obliged to provide access to its network and deliver mail over the final mile on behalf of other operators and also for some of its customers.

• The first access agreement was entered into in the UK between Royal Mail and UK Mail in 2004. Since then, a number of other operators and postal users have entered into agreements with Royal Mail, almost all of which have involved access to Royal Mail’s downstream network at the Inward Mail Centre based on this 2004 contract. In 2009-10, around 6.4 billion items were sent via downstream access agreements - Royal Mail’s Regulatory Accounts 2009/10 (including international mail but excluding door-to-door).

• The Postal Services Act 2011 received Royal Assent on 13 June 2011, and as result regulation of postal services will transfer from the Postal Services Commission (Postcomm) to the Office of Communications (Ofcom). It is expected that vesting will take place on 01 October 2011. This review is one of a number of strands of work being taken forward by Ofcom as part of the development of a new regulatory framework for post.

[jessicarabbit]

English translation anyone?

[Wessex]

Basic translation is that Postcon /Ofcon have already decided that the access arrangements will change for a new privatised royal mail and therefore royal mail dont have to carry out some previous obligations to issue terms within 3 months because they may be superceded by the new regulatory regime shortly .I think

To me it just confirms that everything is already a done deal.

[clashcityrocker]

Do I still have to ring the buzzer of everyone who has got mail?

[Straight4ward]

Do I still have to ring the buzzer of everyone who has got mail?

[Wessex]

Do I still have to ring the buzzer of everyone who has got mail?