Belgacom under pressure to open up VDSL network
Published January 3rd, 2008
(TP) The European Commission has called on Belgian regulator BIPT to step up its enforcement of access to incumbent Belgacom’s broadband network. The commission is backing BIPT’s decision from late November to require Belgacom to offer unbundled local loop and wholesale broadband access to rivals, including on its VDSL network. The commission noted that while Belgium has above-average broadband penetration, the share of LLU in broadband access is still quite low at 3.7 percent, while Belgacom maintains a market share of nearly 50 percent and consumers continue to pay high prices. Belgacom has already said it will challenge the VDSL requirement and called on the regulator to look at the market again and consider similar regulations for dominant cable operators like Telenet. The EC has sent a letter to BIPT under its article 7 procedure, supporting BIPT’s decision on the definition of the broadband market and the inclusion of VDSL. It has asked the national regulator to reinforce the provisions allowing local loop unbundling with a view to promoting infrastructure-based competition and also to closely examine the level of competition for broadband services in the end-user market.
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