Brussels, 19/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission announced on Thursday 19 May that it had closed two infringement proceedings against Germany in the area of telecommunications. The first had been launched in 2007 because proposed amendments to the German telecoms law provided for an effective exemption of Deutsche Telekom AG from any measures taken by the German regulator to promote competition in this area of the telecoms market. In December 2009 the EU Court of Justice upheld the Commission's position that the new German law limited the discretionary powers of the national telecoms regulator and established unfair competition conditions with regard to existing and potential competitors. As Germany has removed this arrangement, the Commission has closed the procedure. German consumers will now benefit from better choice and more competitive prices for broadband internet access. The second procedure, opened in October 2009, related to Germany's frequency allocation plan, which restricted use of the 2.6 GHz frequency band to only certain technologies. German legislation has since been amended and frequencies are now open to all compatible wireless systems offering telecommunications services, including both mobile and fixed services. Nothing now prevents the roll-out throughout the EU of wireless broadband services in this frequency band. Consumers, therefore, will enjoy a much wider choice. (I.L./transl.rt)