RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE S/NGBT/W/3/Add.21
15February 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-0315)
Original: French Negotiating Group onBasic Telecommunications
COMMUNICATION FROM MOROCCO
Response toQuestionnaire onBasic Telecommunications
Thefollowing communication iscirculated attherequest ofMorocco toMembers ofthe
Negotiating Group onBasic Telecommunications.
_______________
PART I
Definition andMarket Structure
Definition
1. Thedahir (fundamental law)of25November 1924 andassociated decrees donotmake a
distinction between basic telecommunications services andother services.
However, Decree No.2-72-296 of4August 1972, which determines theorganization ofthe
telegraphic andtelephone services (hereinafter theDecree of1972), defines therights andobligations
ofthesupplier andsubscribers inrespect oftelegraphic andtelephone services (telegrams, telexand
telephone). ThisDecree states, inparticular, thattelegraphic services (Article 75)andtelephone services
(Article 88)shallbemade available tousers through subscriber terminals orpublic terminals.
2. Moroccan regulations donotdistinguish between networks (facilities) andbasic services.
Theabove-mentioned Decree (Article 165)grants theadministration (exclusive supplier) the
righttoruntelecommunication linesalong thepublic highway orthrough properties belonging tothird
parties inorder toconnect subscribers.
3. No.
Market structure
4. Thedahir containing LawNo.1-84-8 of10January 1984 establishing theNational Postand
Telecommunications Office (ONPT), initsArticle 2,gives itamonopoly onalltelecommunication
services onMoroccan territory.
5. TheONPT isapublic body ofanindustrial andcommercial nature. Ithaslegalpersonality
andfinancial autonomy andissubject toState supervision.
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7. (a) Supplyoftelecommunicationservicesfromterminalsandestablishmentofprivateradio
communication networks orcompany networks (based oncircuits leased fromtheexclusive supplier)
areauthorized.
(b) No.
8. TheKingdom ofMorocco isamember oftheITU,INTELSAT andARABSAT. Consequently,
Moroccan regulations arecompatible withthelegal instruments, resolutions anddecisions ofthose
bodies.
PART II
Competition
(i) Seereply 4,(Part I).
(ii) Crossbordersupply:PossiblethroughtheMoroccantelecommunicationsnetworkoftheONPT.
Consumption abroad: Subscribers totheMoroccan network canaccess anyservice supplied
abroad without restriction, through theircredit cards (Article 101ofDecree of1972) andthrough the
"Country Direct" system.
Commercial presence: Theservices mentioned inthereply to7(a)maybesupplied.
Presence ofnatural persons: Thisisgoverned byMoroccan immigration law.
(iii) Market access: Notapplicable.
(iv) National treatment: There isnodiscriminatory treatment offoreign suppliers.
(v) Licensing: TheONPT hasamonopoly ontelecommunications.
A. Subsectors
B. Categories
Local/long-distance/international services
1. There isnodistinction withregard tothesupply ofsuchservices.
Wire-based services
Radio-based services
Resale basis
3. No.
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Facilities-based
5. Theconstruction oftelecommunications infrastructures isexclusively reserved totheONPT.
Incases where theONPT isnotinaposition toprovide public network circuits, theconstruction of
thenecessary infrastructure onthepublic highway orovertheproperties ofthirdparties, subject to
compliance withthespecific relevant regulations, isauthorized fortheestablishment ofprivate networks.
Public/non-public supply
6. No.
7. Alltelecommunications services.
8. Governmenttelecommunications,securitytelecommunicationsandallkindsoftelecommunications
intended foracompany, group ofcompanies orcompanies engaged insimilar orrelated activities,
inthecontext ofclosed networks (notaccessible tothirdparties). Moroccan regulations require the
ONPT tomake theleased circuits available.
9. Thelawestablishing theONPT makes itsubject totheconstraints ofpublic service withregard
toequality, continuity, suitability andgeneral security.
10. Fortheservices listed inreply No.8,thesupplier must beapproved.
11. Operation ofpublic pay-phones (onthepublic highway orinprivate premises) isauthorized.
Operation offaxandtelexterminals isalsoauthorized.
PART III
Regulatory Issues
Relationship between regulatory andoperational functions
1. TheONPT, asexclusive supplier oftelecommunications services, maypropose draftregulations
concerning theorganization andoperation oftelecommunications forapproval.
With regard totechnical standards, theMinistry ofPosts andTelecommunications (MPT) is
responsible fornegotiating suchstandards atinternational level.
2. Atnational level, theMPT isresponsible forformulating standards.
3. Regulatory power derives from thePrime Minister whomaydelegate ittoMinisters within
theirareaofcompetence.
Settlement ofdisputes ofanykindisamatter foradministrative tribunals andcivilcourts.
Frequency allotment orassignment
4. Themanagement ofthefrequency spectrum, which istheresponsibility oftheState(Article 2
ofthedahirestablishing theONPT), isentrusted totheMPT, together withtheapplication ofMoroccan
radiocommunications law(Vizirial Decree of30December 1952) andtheprovisions oftheRadio
Regulations.S/NGBT/W/3/Add.21
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Article 16oftheVizirial Decree makes theestablishment andoperation ofaradio station
dependent uponobtaining alicence fromtheMPT. Article 17ofthesame decree restricts thelicence
concerned toinstances where thepublic network cannot serve theneedtargeted bytheapplicant for
thelicence.
5. Yes.
Numbering andidentification codes
6. There arenospecific national regulations onthesubject. TheMPT applies therelevant
recommendations oftheITU-T andtheITU-R.
7. Yes.
Standards, typeapproval andequipment attachment
8. Themandatory standards arethose concerning useofthefrequency spectrum andtheoperation
ofsecurity radio services. Technical standards protecting users andthenetwork arealsomandatory
forconnection ofterminals tothepublic network.
9. No.
10. Allradio equipment (Article 25oftheVizirial Decree of1952) andallterminal equipment
intended forconnection tothepublic network (Article 179oftheDecree of1972) mustbeapproved.
Nobilateral agreements havebeenconcluded uptothepresent.
11. Theobligation tohavetheequipment approved.
12. Seereply No.4(Part I).
13. Seereply No.4(Part I).
Interconnection
14. Moroccan regulations donothaveanyspecific rules forinterconnection.
15. Notapplicable.
16. Theinterconnection ofleased circuits tothepublic network fortheneeds ofalicence holder
isnotauthorized when itspurpose istoallow third-party communications (Articles 143and151of
theDecree of1972).
17. There arenorulesconcerning pricing ofinterconnections. Therelated charges arenegotiated
onacase-by-case basis between theparties concerned andarenotsubject toapproval bytheMPT.
There isnoobligation toinform thepublic ornotify theMPT ofinterconnection agreements.
Competitive safeguards
18. Notapplicable.S/NGBT/W/3/Add.21
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19. Notapplicable.
20. Notapplicable.
21. No.
Price-related measures
22. Tariffs andcharges fortelecommunications services provided tothepublic areapproved by
theAdministrative Council oftheONPT presided overbythePrime Minister.
23. Seereply 22.
24. TheONPT isunder theobligation totreatallusers fairly. There isnopossibility ofapplying
special tariffs.
Accounting ratesarenegotiated onacase-by-case basis within theframework oftherelevant
international regulations. There arenospecific criteria defined bytheGovernment onthissubject.
25. TheONPT proposes tariffs forapproval bytheAdministrative Council ofthePrime Minister.
Other suppliers (non-public services) fixtheirtariffs freely.
26. Basic telecommunications tariffs arenolonger subject topricelegislation. Accordingly, prices
aredetermined bythelawofsupply anddemand.
Seealsoreply 25.
27. Seereply 25.
Rights ofwayfortheconstruction ofinfrastructure
28. Seereply 5(Part II).
29. Thesame treatment isapplied toforeigners.
Newtelecommunications services
30. There isnospecific procedure. Thesupply ofsuchservices mustbeauthorized inaccordance
withtheabove-mentioned regulations.
31. TheDecree establishing theMinistry ofPosts andTelecommunications (Article 6,paragraph 6)
empowers ittodetermine thestatus oftheservice inquestion.
Nospecific procedure ortime-frame isprescribed.