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Denmark’s Competition Authority Launches Consultation on Fibre Market Proposals

By  |  February 11, 2026

Five major Danish fiber infrastructure providers with strong positions in local markets have submitted draft commitments to Denmark’s competition watchdog in an effort to address concerns about limited competition in areas where they are the only or dominant network owner.

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    The proposals have been filed with the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority, Konkurrence- og Forbrugerstyrelsen, and have now been sent out for market consultation, according to a statement from the authority. The consultation marks a significant milestone as Denmark prepares for the next telecoms regulatory cycle, which will begin in 2027.

    The companies involved are Aura, BornFiber, EnergiFyn, Fibia and Norlys. Collectively, these operators account for more than half of the country’s fiber connections, with regulated areas located across Denmark.

    According to a statement from the authority, the draft commitments are intended to address competition concerns in areas where a single fiber network owner controls access to households and small businesses. In such locations, the infrastructure owner has the ability to decide which retail internet service providers can offer services on its network and at what wholesale price.

    To prevent distortions in competition, sector-specific regulation applies in these areas. The goal is to ensure that retail providers can compete under fair conditions and that wholesale access charges remain within regulated price ceilings.

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    Jacob Schaumburg-Müller, deputy director at the authority, said regulation of fiber network owners has a direct effect on consumers and small enterprises. He explained that the overarching aim is to create a framework that supports effective competition on availability, quality and pricing in the years ahead, even where there is limited infrastructure competition.

    Six companies initially put forward draft commitments. However, following discussions and revisions, only five proposals were considered suitable for public consultation. The authority determined that one company’s submission did not sufficiently resolve the identified competition issues. While the authority has not disclosed the name of the company in question, analysts at Tefficient have indicated it is likely to be TDC NET, the national wholesale infrastructure arm that was previously part of TDC Group.

    The draft commitments outline the terms under which retail internet providers would be granted access to the fiber networks operated by the five companies. A key component is the introduction of new wholesale price ceilings for the period from 2027 to 2031.

    According to a statement from the authority, the proposed ceilings are higher than those applied since 2021. The increase reflects several cost factors identified during the regulatory review. These include broader inflationary pressures that have driven up equipment costs, a higher permitted return on invested capital in light of rising interest rates, and the need to factor in potentially increased spending on network security, including protection against cyber threats.

    The exact level of the price ceilings will differ among operators. The authority noted that variations in population density and cost structures in the regulated areas contribute to these differences.

    Under Denmark’s telecoms framework, which implements relevant European Union directives, the authority is required to identify areas with competition concerns and impose remedies in five-year regulatory cycles. The current decisions remain in force until the end of 2026, with updated determinations expected later this year. Per a statement from the authority, if fiber network owners fail to resolve competition issues through voluntary commitments, the regulator has the power to impose binding obligations instead.

    Source: Mobile Europe