ACCESS TO TELECOMS NETWORKS : ALTERNATIVE OPERATORS DENOUNCE COMMISSION'S DRAFT.

Although they have not even been published, the measures being considered by the European Commission to regulate access to telecommunications networks (calculation of access charges and principle of non-discrimination) have already raised an outcry by alternative telecoms operators. Seen by Europolitics information society,the last draft of the recommendation that has just been transmitted to the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) does not meet their expectations that it should garantee robust measures to ensure full competition on telecommunications markets. BEREC has to give its opinion on the text, which the Commission is expected to adopt in 2013.

"The Commission proposes rules that undermine the growth potential of the sector, leading to higher consumer prices, less competition and no additional investments. A lose-lose scenario for consumers and businesses, competition and the economy, in the name of promoting NGA [next generation access] investments that are already happening anyway," said Tom Ruhan, chairman of the European Competitive Telecoms...