Brussels, 18/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 18 September, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the regulatory principles to be applied by EU member states to new generation broadband internet access networks. Consultation was mainly with national regulators, who will have the responsibility of adjusting the regulations in each member state. In their preliminary assessments, operators are divided.
The Commission is aware that Europe is lagging behind compared to Japan, the United States and Korea when it comes to optical fibre networks. It is seeking to restore a balance between the needs of traditional operators, who are the only ones with the means to invest in infrastructure, and the priority of allowing new market entrants, whose participation is necessary to maintain a healthy competitive. To this end, it suggests that national regulators should mandate access to network ducts set in place by the dominant operators. Competitors would thus have access to cable ducts in place, so that they may install their cables at lower cost. This is not sufficient, says Ilsa Godlovitch, Director for Regulatory Affairs at the ECTA (European Competitive Telecommunications Association). “The Commission has focused too much on duct access compared with other remedies such as access to fibre”, she said. The fact that it is possible to directly “rent” optical connections, as ECTA members advocate, would allow those arriving on the market to provide competitive services to consumers without having to set up duplicate connections. Network installers see things differently. “We are not building for our competitors”, said Mark Nierwetberg, spokesman for Deutsche Telekom. In his view, renting connectivity would not allow returns on investment even at the fixed rate of at least 12%, as proposed by the Commission. Consultation will be open until 18 November (http: //ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ecomm/library/public_consult/nga/index_en.htm). (C.D)