CNMC consulting on the draft Circular on the provision of subscriber data

The requirement to provide subscriber data through a central platform managed by the CNMC called SGDA (Sistema de Gestión de Datos de Abonado) is a key telecoms regulatory obligation, particularly for the proper functioning of emergency calls, to ensure that the emergency services have the right caller location information available. This subscriber data is also available to providers of telephone directories and enquiry services.

The condition to provide subscriber data to CNMC applies to all communications providers that provide telephony services and assign telephone numbers to their customers.

The draft Circular aims to harmonise the provision and reception of subscriber data to the current regulatory framework while optimising the exchange of data, avoiding bottlenecks in the processing of files and improving the synchronization and quality of data.

The draft Circular makes changes to some existing obligations and also introduces new duties, without altering the existing procedures. Among other things, some key highlights are the following:

• It clarifies the scope of the obligation to provide subscriber data to the SGDA, expressly including resellers of telephony services that assign numbers to their customers.

• The draft Circular introduces a requirement on providers to upload a file with the data of all subscribers every 12 months, which aims to ensure that emergency organisations have accurate and up-to-date caller location information.

• It modifies the format and structure of the files to be uploaded to the SGDA with respect to the current procedures, and re-introduces parameters for the standardisation of subscriber address data using “INE codes” to provide greater data reliability for emergency services.

• A new cybersecurity course will be compulsory for all providers and parties involved in the SGDA.

The draft Circular is available here and has been opened to public consultation until 28 February 2025.

Following the public consultation, CNMC will approve the definitive version which will repeal the existing rules.