Legally Compliant From the First Customer Onwards

Compliance on German Telecommunications Act

Telecommunications regulation is a sovereign task of the German Federal Office of Justice. The underlying goal of the German Telecommunications Act (TKG) is to safeguard user and consumer interests and fair competition, and to secure the baseline provision of telecommunications services nationwide.

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The current German Telecommunications Modernization Act (TKMoG) revised and modernized the present TKG comprehensively, and the amendment was supplemented by a new law, the German Telecommunications & Telemedia Data Protection Act (TTDSG). This has also led to changes to the legal fundamentals relevant for TKG compliance and goes hand in hand with a new technical guideline – the German Technical Guideline for Implementing Statutory Measures for Monitoring Telecommunications (TR TKÜV 8.0).

For providers of interpersonal and interactive electronic communications services (Section 3 No. 24 TKG), the provisions of the German Telecommunications Act are legally binding and in part entail additional costs for personnel and other outlays.

valantic’s three-part solution suite allows providers of Internet access services, telecommunications services, and number-based and number-independent over-the-top services (OTT) to cut personnel costs, expedite their workflows and boost the economic efficiency of handling TKG compliance-relevant processes (Section 172 (1) and (3) TKG) and (Sections 21 to 24 TTDSG).

With valantic’s support, telecommunications service providers can return to concentrating on their core business, leaving valantic to ensure professional fulfillment of the legal guidelines.

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cAIS – Public Authority Information System

With cAIS, valantic offers its customers a modular public authority information system for receiving and responding quickly to requests from German and European public authorities for customer, traffic and retention data. The solution addresses the legal obligations arising from Section 9 TTDSG (Section 96 TKG, traffic data), Section 174 TKG (Section 113 TKG, customer data) and Section 176 TKG (Section 113b TKG, retention data) and data for the enforcement of intellectual property rights (Sections 21 to 24 TTDSG). The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI-ESB) transmission procedure is an integral part of the solution, which also includes a SINA (Secure Inter-Network Architecture) box in the SaaS variant.

No major upfront investments are needed to use the cAIS platform. The intuitive user interface allows users to familiarize themselves with the system quickly without protracted  training, even if they only occasionally deal with requests from public authorities. If desired, the platform can automatically send users an e-mail informing them of the receipt of new requests.

Highlights of the cAIS TKG Compliance Platform

Data processing

  • Freely definable degree of digitization and automation in the data processing
  • Strong embedding into heterogeneous IT environments to enhance integration and interoperability
  • Support of different channels and transmission types such as fax, e-mail and ETSI-ESB

Process design

  • Supports multi-tenancy and multiple languages
  • End-to-end digital mapping of all TKG compliance processes
  • Modular, easily adaptable workflow system for optimized TKG compliance processes
  • Simplified and improved JVEG billing process
  • Simple, quarterly auditing in accordance with TR TKÜV
  • User-friendly, intuitive web interface

Implementation and costs

  • Quick, easy, legally compliant, timely implementation of regulatory requirements (operational readiness in four weeks)
  • No protracted or costly integration projects (CAPEX), low setup costs
  • Always up-to-date and legally compliant through Software-as-a-Service
  • Attractive monthly service fees (OPEX)

The cAIS TKG compliance platform is provided as Software-as-a-Service from data centers that have been certified by the German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) and audited by the German Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (BfDI).

valantic takes over the initial installation and setup of the cAIS platform, conducts a BNetzA acceptance test and also maintains the software. The customer’s employees can also optionally receive instruction in using the application. On request, valantic can provide security-cleared personnel to take over all the subject-matter processes, including the JVEG billing processes.

cLIMS – Telecommunications Monitoring

cLIMS addresses the measures prescribed under Section 170 TKG (Section 110 TKG) concerning the monitoring of telecommunications (TCM), international-gateways (IGM) and e-mails in accordance with the German Telecommunications Act. There are four good reasons for using cLIMS (“Lawful Interception as Managed Service”): cost-effectiveness, guaranteed legal compliance, data protection and quality. Acting as a vicarious agent for its customers, valantic employs security-cleared personnel to implement its customers’ monitoring measures on a 24×7 basis, covering every aspect from receiving and checking the monitoring orders to billing. valantic ensures that you comply with all legal requirements.

Benefits of valantic’s LI Services

  • Synergies and cost benefits through the shared service center approach
  • State-of-the-art, ISO-certified data center
  • 24/7 on-call times
  • Extensive legal and technical knowledge; customers are TKG-compliant from A to Z
  • Many years’ experience in all LI processes and in dealing with public authorities
  • Provision of security-cleared personnel to take over all subject-matter processes including the JVEG billing process
  • Best LI service provider in terms of technical and subject-matter expertise and quality in the areas of TCM, IGM and e-mail

valantic operates its LI systems in a certified, high-security, state-of-the-art data center. The processes and systems are audited regularly by the supervisory authority BNetzA and the BfDI.

The handling of all requests in the area of telecommunications monitoring for TCM, IGM and e-mail includes the:

  • Receipt and review of the monitoring orders
  • Checking and setting up of the measures
  • Prolongation of the measures
  • Auditing, reporting and monitoring
  • JVEG settlement (optional)

valantic advises its customers on technical and subject-matter topics, takes over the LI project management, draws up a bespoke security concept and performs a BNetzA acceptance test. valantic’s service portfolio includes license management of the LI hardware and software and the utimaco LI systems, as well as delivery, configuration and maintenance of the SINA boxes.

valantic maintains the software and is responsible for remote application management of the LI system. LI business processing is performed by trained, security-cleared valantic personnel.

cAAV – Automated Information Process

cAAV addresses the legally binding requirements of Section 173 TKG (Section 112 TKG). The German Telecommunications Act requires network operators to provide public authorities with automated access to all assigned telephone numbers as well as to the corresponding addressees. It must be ensured that the German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) is able to retrieve data from the operator’s customer files from within Germany at any time. With cAAV, valantic offers network operators a powerful solution for reliably fulfilling the legal requirements of Section 173 TKG (Section 112 TKG). cAAV can be integrated into legacy CRM systems and is available as a managed service.

The three-part TKG Compliance Suite lets companies reduce their personnel overheads and expenditures and, if desired, largely automate processes and information and billing procedures – with 100% legal conformance with the German Telecommunications Act. We’d be happy to advise you.

Your Contact for TKG Compliance

Image of Stefan Michaelis, Business Executive, valantic Telco Solutions & Services

Stefan Michaelis

Business Unit Executive
valantic Telco Solutions & Services