Anacom published last Friday a report and final decision to restart the Optimus Home service, which it had suspended at the end of 2004.
The communications market regulator imposes some limitations and conditions on the provision of the service but admits the use of the GSM network for voice communication from a «fixed» location.
It is recalled that Optimus had started the fixed telephone service for the residential market in November, with Anacom having decided to suspend it at the end of that month, claiming that the service was not in accordance with the National Numbering Plan.
Anacom also said that Optimus Home «presents all the essential features and functionality of a mobile service, with the particularity that mobility is restricted, through limitations associated, in particular, with the customer’s SIM card, to a specific geographical area».
After this decision, Novis and Optimus ended up making changes to the proposal, receiving on 12 December a positive vote from Anacom, which however was subsequently subject to regulatory consultation and analysis procedures.
Only on Friday, February 25, did Anacom publish the report and final decision.
In this, the regulator states that Optimus will be able to use GSM frequencies so that Novis – fixed telecommunications company of the same group – can offer the Optimus Home service, but under certain conditions.
The restriction of mobility, through the connection of the number to a single BTS (base station that supports the antenna), is one of the basic conditions, previously defined in the draft decision of December 12th.
Optimus will now have to submit, within 15 days, the description of the technical process leading to the selection of BTS, and it is also mandatory to keep a record of all terminals and BTS used by the SonaeCom mobile network company and the Novis.
This register must contain the address, telephone number and date of activation of the service, as well as the geographical coordinates of the BTS associated with the terminal.
Anacom also obliges operators to provide «clear and transparent information» to end users about the characteristics of the service, namely in ensuring that access to the service is ensured exclusively at the address declared by the end user for that purpose.
It should also be explained the possible limitations to the signal quality inside the home and the impact of the caller’s location on calls to the single European emergency number.
Related news
2004-12-13 – Anacom approves Optimus Home after changes to the initial proposal
2004-11-29 – Anacom suspends Optimus Home service but SonaeCom advances with new offer
2004-11-26 – Oni wants SonaeCom’s voice offer clarified by Anacom
2004-11-15 – Optimus Home offers fixed telephony to the residential market without monthly subscription
