Explanatory note

Council Directive 92/44/EEC on the application of open network provision to leased lines (“the Leased Lines Directive”) harmonizes the technical characteristics for leased lines on the public telecommunication network, and provides for certain requirements in relation to access to leased lines and to the availability of information about the conditions of supply of such lines.

These Regulations modify the licences granted under section 7 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 to British Telecommunications plc (regulation 4), Kingston upon Hull City Council and Kingston Communications (Hull) PLC (regulation 5) and Mercury Communications Limited (regulation 6) to insert appropriate new conditions implementing the Leased Lines Directive.The Secretary of State and the Director General of Telecommunications are given appropriate powers and duties as the national regulatory authorities for the purposes of the Leased Lines Directive (regulation 7).

Copies of the relevant licences, and the register of approvals given and designations made under section 22 of the 1984 Act referred to in regulations 2 and 7, may be inspected at the Office of Telecommunications, Export House, 50 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7JJ.Copies of the TSS specifications and recommendations referred to in Schedule 2 may be obtained from the Director of the Telecommunications Standardization Bureau, International Telecommunication Union, Place de Nations, CH-1211, Geneva 20, Switzerland.