Asia Pacific carriers unite to promote open market policies

The group includes carriers such as AT&T, British Telecom, Cable & Wireless, T-Systems (a division of Deutsche Telekom), MCI, Macquarie Corporate Telecommunications, StarHub, and Pacific Internet.

Maha Krishnapillai from Macquarie Corporate Telecommunications, a founding member of both the APCC and the Australian-based Competitive Carriers' Coalition (CCC), has been appointed vice-president.

"The APCC is an important conduit to ensure best practice regulatory framework across Asia Pacific," said Krishnapillai. "Its formation arises from the need for non-dominant carriers to work together in newly opened markets to promote a fair and open environment."

Krishnapillai added that the formation of APCC assists in ensuring a level playing field for competition across borders.

Various working groups has been formed for each specific issue that the organisation considers important for governments and regulators in Asia. Krishnapillai added that the non-dominant carriers in Asia Pacific are facing similar challenges to those in Australia.

"The working groups will focus on issues relating to the pricing of Local Leased Circuit, rates charged for the termination of mobile calls, DSL availability, and the opportunity for new entrants to participate as operators, particularly in developing countries such as India and China," Krishnapillai said.

The formation of the APCC follows the recent incorporation of the CCC in Australia.

The APCC will work in conjunction with other regional and global organisations that share the goal of promoting market opening and effective regulation in the communications sector.

These organisations include the CCC, the European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA), CompTel/Ascent, the US-based association of competitive telecommunications providers and the International Telecommunications Users Group (INTUG).