Quality of service

The provision of the universal service must be performed with a minimum level of quality specified through values associated with a set of quality parameters. These parameters are of two types: individual parameters, measured in relation to each subscriber and global parameters, relating to the provision of the service to all subscribers. In general, the failure of the former entails the application of indemnities or compensation from the operator to the affected subscribers, while the failure of the latter entails the application of the sanctioning regime.

Individual parameters and their minimum levels:

  • Initial connection delivery time: less than 60 days.
  • The overall data rate of the downstream network access user link, over any 24-hour interval: not less than 10 Mbps.
  • Service interruption time of less than 24 hours per month.

Minimum quality standards relating to the universal service:

  1. Connection and telephone service available to the public from a fixed location:
    • Initial connection delivery time: less than 60 days for 99 percent of cases.
    • Percentage of breakdowns per access line: less than four percent per quarter.
    • Failure repair time: less than 48 hours for 95 percent of cases.
    • Turnover claim rate: less than five per thousand per quarter.
    • If the operator designated to provide the initial connection chooses to avail himself of the option of providing data services, including Internet access, on terms comparable to those generally offered by the market, the data transmission rate achieved shall be equal to or greater than 10 megabit per second for 95 per cent of the cases, taking into account the specific functions of the relevant access technology.

The measurement of these parameters is carried out in accordance with what is established in the Quality Order IET/1090/2014, of 16 June.