I received the following response from Ofcom this afternoon; I await further feedback with interest!"25 September 2008
Dear Councillor Macpherson
Thank you for your email to Ofcom dated 24 September 2008.
As part of its Universal Service Obligation to supply basic, fixed line, telecommunications services across the UK, BT (along with Kingston Communications in the Hull area) is obligated to provide Public Call Boxes.
By way of some background, BT is required to ensure adequate coverage of public call boxes (PCB). During a review of Universal Service Obligations in 2005/06, Ofcom concluded that adequate coverage is best determined at a local level with district (or equivalent) councils holding the local veto. BT must follow rules set by Ofcom when they wish to remove a PCB from a site. ‘Site’, in relation to a PCB, is defined as a walking distance of 400 metres from that PCB. This means that if there are two phone boxes within 400 metres’ walk of each other, BT can take one away without following our rules. However, if they want to take away the last one as well, they have to follow an agreed process.
Our rules state that BT cannot remove the last PCB from a ‘site’ unless they have displayed a notice on the call box to notify the public, written to district council, metropolitan, unitary or equivalent council and have not received any written objections within a 90-day period. If the local body does make a written objection to BT within the fixed 90-day period, BT must not proceed with the removal or re-siting of the PCB. Where written objections are made, reasons must be given for the objection. Although we do not lay down rules on how local district councils (or equivalent councils) should go about testing local views, we would expect them to consult other public organisations, such as parish/community councils or local community groups.
We are naturally concerned if the two PCBs to which you refer are in fact PCBs that BT must consult on in accordance with our rules and if BT have subsequently failed to inform Dundee City Council about the proposed removals. We are, however, unable to comment further at this stage without knowing the intricacies of the case. We have taken up this matter with BT and will write to you again when we have further information.
I hope this information proves useful.
Yours sincerely
::Charlotte Cullen
Central Operations
Telecoms Team"
Dear Councillor Macpherson
Thank you for your email to Ofcom dated 24 September 2008.
As part of its Universal Service Obligation to supply basic, fixed line, telecommunications services across the UK, BT (along with Kingston Communications in the Hull area) is obligated to provide Public Call Boxes.
By way of some background, BT is required to ensure adequate coverage of public call boxes (PCB). During a review of Universal Service Obligations in 2005/06, Ofcom concluded that adequate coverage is best determined at a local level with district (or equivalent) councils holding the local veto. BT must follow rules set by Ofcom when they wish to remove a PCB from a site. ‘Site’, in relation to a PCB, is defined as a walking distance of 400 metres from that PCB. This means that if there are two phone boxes within 400 metres’ walk of each other, BT can take one away without following our rules. However, if they want to take away the last one as well, they have to follow an agreed process.
Our rules state that BT cannot remove the last PCB from a ‘site’ unless they have displayed a notice on the call box to notify the public, written to district council, metropolitan, unitary or equivalent council and have not received any written objections within a 90-day period. If the local body does make a written objection to BT within the fixed 90-day period, BT must not proceed with the removal or re-siting of the PCB. Where written objections are made, reasons must be given for the objection. Although we do not lay down rules on how local district councils (or equivalent councils) should go about testing local views, we would expect them to consult other public organisations, such as parish/community councils or local community groups.
We are naturally concerned if the two PCBs to which you refer are in fact PCBs that BT must consult on in accordance with our rules and if BT have subsequently failed to inform Dundee City Council about the proposed removals. We are, however, unable to comment further at this stage without knowing the intricacies of the case. We have taken up this matter with BT and will write to you again when we have further information.
I hope this information proves useful.
Yours sincerely
::Charlotte Cullen
Central Operations
Telecoms Team"