EU threaten to slash broadband pricing
The EU may regulate the broadband market to speed rollout and bring down charges after claims that newcomers are being blocked from entering the market by entrenched telecoms firms.
The EU may regulate the broadband market to speed rollout and bring down charges after claims that newcomers are being blocked from entering the market by entrenched telecoms firms.
Competition Commissioner Mario Monti said in a statement that progress on telecoms deregulation in Europe remains ‘extremely disappointing’.
Unless something is done soon his office may soon ‘expand its field of action’ to investigate new complaints and ‘ensure a level playing field’.
Deutsche Telekom, has already fallen foul of the EU regulators using such powers. Last May a formal investigation accused it of trying to force new companies out of the market with ‘unfair pricing practices’ for access to the local fixed lines.
France Telecom’s Wanadoo unit is also under investigation in December for allegedly undercutting its competitors. And BT’s reputation when it comes to aiding the local loop unbunling process is not exactly spotless.
The latest complaints are ‘not so much about prices, but more about the conditions at which new entrants are allowed to install equipment in the premises of current dominant players’.
‘We have received strong signs of discontent on the conditions offered by the incumbents to companies trying to access local telephone exchanges,’ said Monti.
EU officials see deregulation of this ‘last mile’ of wire connecting homes and businesses as crucial to bringing down Europe’s relatively high telephone charges and promoting broadband access to the internet.
The numbers you crunch tell a story. Your expertis...
22yEmbracing user-friendly AP systems can turn the tide, streamlining workflows, enhancing compliance, and opening doors to early payment discounts. Read...
View articleOrganisations can enhance their financial operations' efficiency, accuracy, and responsiveness by adopting platforms that offer them self-service cust...
View articleIn a world of instant results and automated workloads, the potential for AP to drive insights and transform results is enormous. But, if you’re still ...
View resourceDiscover how AP dashboards can transform your business by enhancing efficiency and accuracy in tracking key metrics, as revealed by the latest insight...
View articleEY adopts Polygon's blockchain for contract management, aiming to enhance security, efficiency, and transparency, setting a new industry standard and ...
View articleFrom achieving new efficiencies to improving accuracy and streamlining compliance, intelligent automation systems are helping accountancy practices ma...
View articleHMRC's MTD ITSA pilot, launching on 22 April 2024, aims to modernize the UK tax system by requiring digital record-keeping and quarterly updates for s...
View articleThe shift to cloud-based accounting marks a significant transformation, enhancing efficiency, collaboration, and data security, and setting new standa...
View articleThe key question facing finance leaders is not about whether they should be strengthening their digital capabilities. That is settled. At AICPA & ...
View articleEmbracing user-friendly AP systems can turn the tide, streamlining workflows, enhancing compliance, and opening doors to early payment discounts. Read...
View articleOn February 28, Xero became the latest accounting technology provider to launch a new AI assistant. ‘Just Ask Xero’ or JAX was announced a...
View articleThe findings from the Azets Barometer January 2024 survey highlight a concerning ‘blind spot’ in the cyber security posture of UK business...
View article