EU: Dutch regulator wants to open up VodafoneZiggo

The Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) wants alternative providers to have access to VodafoneZiggo’s cable network.

As a result, other companies will be able to offer broadband, television and fixed telephony services over the cable network aswell (next to rival telecom company KPN’s copper and fibre-optic networks, which the ACM will keep regulating). This was announced by the ACM in its draft decision concerning the market analysis for Wholesale Fixed Access.

KPN, which was once the country’s state-owned telecommunications company, already sells the use of most of its networks to internet and mobile providers.

“Because of the dominant position of KPN and VodafoneZiggo on the market for fixed telecommunications networks, without regulation, there will be insufficient competition,” said ACM spokesman Henk Don. “The ACM is, therefore, proposing to regulate both parties.”

Shortly after the market analysis decision on unbundled access came into force on January 1, 2016, Vodafone and Ziggo launched a joint venture. As a result, there are now two market participants with their own fixed and mobile networks active on the Dutch market, namely KPN and VodafoneZiggo. This means that KPN and VodafoneZiggo have comparable positions on the telecom market. That is why ACM, sooner than initially expected, decided to conduct a new market analysis.

It is not clear whether the ACM proposal will succeed. The regulator said market players have six weeks to respond before it finalises the proposal for submission to the European Commission. It hopes the proposal will come into effect as policy by this summer.

Full Content: Reuters

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