The second ITU World Telecommunication Policy Forum (WTPF) invited the Director of TSB, in consultation with the Chairman of Study Group 3, to establish a Focus Group as described in Resolution 23 of WTSC-96 in order to accelerate the work of Study Group 3 on accounting rate reform. The objective of the Focus Group was to propose "transitional arrangements towards cost-orientation beyond 1998, including ranges of indicative target rates". The final report was submitted to the Director of the TSB on 6 November 1998 for consideration by Study Group 3 at its meetings on 7-15 December 1998 and 2-11 June 1999.

At its meeting in June 1999, Study Group 3, after in-depth discussions, endorsed the draft guidelines for bilateral negotiations of transitional arrangements towards cost-orientation (WinWord, PDF), as a new annex to Recommendation D.140 to go through the approval procedure in accordance with Resolution 1 of WTSC-96. While Study Group 3 did not agree unanimously on the text, a large majority of administrations supported the draft and recognized the value of such an annex. ITU-T approval procedures will be applied to the transitional arrangements (Annex E) at the December 1999 meeting. 

In its earlier December 1998 meeting Study Group 3 completed its work on an expanded menu of remuneration options, including termination charges, to be incorporated into ITU-T Recommendation D.150.

• Final Contribution of the Focus Group to ITU Study Group 3 [WinWord, PDF] As submitted on 6th November 1998

• Presentation of the Final Report of the Focus Group to ITU-T Study Group 3, Ambassador Anthony Hill, Chair, SG3 Focus Group, 3rd Plenary Meeting, 7th December 1998, Geneva
  [PowerPoint, WinZip], [PDF, WinZip]

For more on the Focus Group, see the ITU-T website.

As part of the work of the Focus Group, a number of Methodological Notes have been prepared by the Secretariat on different topics. These show the evolution of the Group's work:

• Developing ranges of indicative target rates [PDF, WinWord] 12 May
• Country groupings and best practice rates [PDF, WinWord] 1 July
• Cost methodologies and cost proxies [PDF, WinWord] 7 August
• Transit rates [PDF, WinWord] 12 August
• Asymmetric arrangements  [PDF, WinWord] 29 September
• Choice of teledensity bands  [PDF, WinWord] 30 September
• Universal Service Obligations [PDF, WinWord] 9 October
• Transition paths to cost-orientation [PDF, WinWord] Revised 9 November

In addition, an Information Note has been prepared by the  Telecommunications Development Bureau (BDT) outlining its contribution to the work of the Focus Group:

• BDT Contribution to the Focus Group [PDF, Winword] 28 October

During the course of the work, three Working Documents were issued by the Chairman of the Group, Ambassador Anthony Hill (Jamaica), and the management team. They show the evolution of the work:

• 1st Working Document [PDF, WinWord] 12 June 1998
• 2nd Working Document [PDF, WinWord] 25 August 1998
• 3rd Working Document [PDF, WinWord] 16 October 1998