Spain: Watchdog concerned about price hikes

The president of Spain’s communications regulator, the CNMC, has expressed concerns about recent price hikes introduced by the country’s major operators, resulting in average annual rises of 15% in multi-play packages with pay-TV in the second half of 2017.

“This trend requires us to be very attentive and act on three fronts: maintain effective competition in the market, regulate access to new generation networks to open up this market to all operators and, finally, be given powers we don’t yet have to ensure that the next technological revolution, that of 5G and the Internet of Things, remains open to competition,” said CNMC president Jose Maria Marin Quemada at a Senate hearing, according to Expansion.

The CNMC’s president also warned of the excessive market power of the country’s four network operators, which together control more than 95% of lines via their various brands. However, Marin Quemada expressed “satisfaction” at the positive impact on the market of the country’s fourth network operator (Masmovil), which captured over 425,000 mobile lines from its rivals between October 2016 and December 2017, as well as the emergence of low-cost second brands.

Full Content: El Periódico

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