ENUM, a function in the innovation phase - Summary - PTS-ER-2003:29

28/07/2003

PTS has been assigned by the Government the administrative responsibility for implementing a national trial with ENUM. A report on the assignment must be submitted to the Government no later than 31 July 2003, containing the following:

• how the technical and administrative responsibility for ENUM should be allocated in the event that it is introduced permanently
• how customer details should be managed in the most appropriate way when ENUM is used
• competition aspects associated with ENUM
• model for financing ENUM in the event of any permanent introduction
• need for any statutory regulation owing to ENUM
• need for State involvement in ENUM

ENUM is a protocol and a database that maps telephone numbers to Internet domain names, which can be used for convergence between circuit-switched and packet-switched electronic communication networks.

The ENUM trial has been implemented under the leadership of PTS with the assistance of the parties in the market. During the trial period, interest from the Internet market was greater than the interest from the telecommunications market, but overall interest has not been particularly great, which can partially be due to the current situation of the sector; the parties are waiting to see what will happen with ENUM internationally and in Sweden without prioritising active participation for their own part. The joint ENUM infrastructure for country code zones has been tested but the results from the trial period are not sufficient to be able to submit a complete report to the Government. Many issues that are also defined in the Government assignment remain unresolved, which is also the same situation in countries that conduct similar ENUM work.

The report briefly describes the administrative division and responsibility for ENUM, how the administrative responsibility has been delegated during the trial operation and also contains a description of the various alternatives available for those who have the administrative responsibility to appoint an ENUM Tier 1 Registry. A brief report is also provided concerning the extent to which the various alternatives and the technical running of ENUM require amended or new legislation.

ENUM, which is at the innovation phase, may still be deemed to have potential to be able to develop into an important function for convergence between circuit-switched and packet-switched public electronic communication networks. Internationally, ENUM appears to be attracting some attention, which may suggest that it is an interesting function.

PTS recommends that the Government assignment is extended until 30 June 2004 in order, among other things, to be able to produce solutions around administrative issues, process flows, customer processes, competition aspects and financing issues that will be necessary in the event of permanent commercial operation of ENUM.