'FreePhone' Auction Update
26 April 2004 at 1:04 pm
The Australian Communications Authority (ACA) has revised the dates for commencement of the online auction system for the FreePhones, 13, 1300 and 1800 phone numbers with the charities’ process now beginning in mid July and the commercial process commencing in mid August.
The ACA says revising the dates will ensure that the necessary interfaces between the auction system, carriage service providers (CSPs) and Industry Number Management Services Ltd (INMS ¡V the ACA’s delegate for the allocation of 1800, 13 and 1300 numbers to CSPs) will be coordinated and operational in time.
The ACA says it understands that the end of the financial year is a busy period for most organisations, so introducing the auction system in the early part of the new financial year will maximise the opportunity for interested parties to be involved in the new system.
An awareness campaign will be launched in mid June to ensure all potential participants in the auction system are aware of the time lines and the processes for registering, applying and bidding in an online auction.
The ACA has determined that the reserve price for numbers nominated for auction under the separate charities process will initially be set at $100. This charge will be reviewed once there is confirmation of the actual costs associated with allocations for charities.
The IT system to support the new auction system is currently under development by the ACA in cooperation with INMS. The IT system has four main components:
„h the auction website which provides the ability to register, apply for the allocation of number(s) and subsequently nominate numbers for auction;
„h an auction engine used to enable bidding (hosted and developed by Auction Trader);
„h a facility for successful bidders to pay the winning bid amount for the number; and
„h an interface with INMS to enable allocation of the number to a CSP.
„h
As Pro Bono Australia reported last month, charitable organisations will have preferential access to these numbers through a separate charities only process.
In order for charities to participate in the preferential process, they must be endorsed by the Tax Commissioner as an income tax exempt charity (ITEC) under section 50.105 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.
Eligible charities will also need to demonstrate a strategic link to the number. For example, that the number translates to a phoneword that:
„h matches a word that is part of a name of the charity; or
„h is an acronym for the name of the charity.
The ACA is developing an awareness campaign to ensure that potential participants in the auction system are aware of the commencement dates for the new system and the process for registering, applying and bidding for a number in an online auction.
The main focus of the campaign will be radio and print advertising supplemented by targeted awareness initiatives via the auction website.
Online tutorials, fact sheets and responses to frequently asked questions are being prepared to assist potential bidders to become familiar and confident with the new allocation system.
For our readers who requested the ACA guide lines last month we have now sent out the latest two PDF files on the auction system for charities.
If you haven’t already requested copies you can do so by e-mailing us at probono@probonoaustralia.com.au and writing ACA Update Files in the subject line.
