State Development Planning Commission and Ministry of Information Industry, Procedures for Examination, Approval and Filing of Telecommunications Charges Provisions (Trial Implementation)

Promulgated: August 29 2002
Effective: October 1 2002

Main contents: Telecommunications charges that are government determined or government guided shall be set or adjusted through a collective review system (Article 3). Telecommunications operators may apply to the Ministry of Information or the relevant telecommunications bureau (and copy the pricing department at the corresponding level) for adjustment to such charges (Article 4). The application shall set out, among other things, the reasons of the adjustment and the impact of the adjustment on relevant telecommunications operators and on consumers (Article 5). An examination opinion on the application shall be given to the applicant after comments are obtained from other relevant parties (Article 6). If the proposed adjustment concerns nationwide basic telecommunications charges (e.g., fixed line local telephone base charges and mobile telephone base charges), a price hearing shall be held by the department of the State Council in charge of pricing (Article 8). Newly set or adjusted charges shall be published through major mass media (Article 9). Telecommunications operators may determine and adjust market adjustable charges or government guided charges within the permitted ranges, but shall file such charges or adjustments with the relevant government departments before such charges or adjustments come into effect (Article 11).
Related legislation:PRC Pricing Law, Dec 29 1997, CLP 1998 No.2 p51 and PRC Telecommunications Regulations, Sep 25 2000, CLP 2000 No.9 p28