Brussels, 07/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 7 April, the European Commission requested the German telecoms regulator (BNetzA) to amend or withdraw its plans which would result in mobile termination rates paid to sipgate Wireless, a new operator on the German market, more than 80% higher than in most other member states.
The recommendation issued by the Commission follows an investigation into mobile termination rates in Germany, in which the Commission criticised BNetzA's approach to the mobile telecommunications sector as a whole (see EUROPE 10876). “The vast majority of the EU member states apply termination rates which are beneficial to consumers and competition. I insist that Germany complies with telecoms regulation and follows the same approach as other regulators. It is not acceptable that one regulator continues to hamper the proper functioning of the single telecoms market”, said Commissioner for the Digital Strategy,Neelie Kroes. Termination rates are the rates telecoms network operators charge each other to end calls from one network to another, which are ultimately passed on to the bill paid by individuals and businesses. In the course of the investigation, which started in November 2013, BNetzA failed to provide convincing reasons why it should be granted special treatment and be exempt from following the method for calculating mobile termination rates set out in the EU telecoms rules. The Commission has now asked the German regulatory authority to withdraw or amend its proposals. (IL)