Belgium Telenet will take legal steps against new regulation aiming to improve competition in the Belgium broadband and broadcasting markets. Telenet cites earlier criticism of the proposed regulation by the European Commission.
The regulation, sealed…
Belgium Telenet will take legal steps against new regulation aiming to improve competition in the Belgium broadband and broadcasting markets. Telenet cites earlier criticism of the proposed regulation by the European Commission.
The regulation, sealed yesterday by the Belgian Conference of Regulators of the electronic communications sector, CRC, forces major Belgium cable operators Brutele, Numbericable, Tecteo, AIESH and Telenet to open their networks to other players.
Under the regulation cable operators have an obligation to allow third parties to access their digital TV platform, to resell their broadband internet products, and to resell their analogue TV programming.
These measures will enter into force on 1 August.
The EC had raised concerns in mid June, saying the CRC should take better account of broadcasting market developments in the light of the recent entry of competitors into the market, in particular Belgacom’s IPTV. The EC also referred to a trend towards multi-play and converged broadband-broadcasting offers and the proposed regulation of Belgacom, which will allow third parties to offer both broadband and IPTV services over Belgacom’s network.
Telenet said it questions whether the CRC “has effectively ‘taken the utmost account’ of the European Commission’s comments,” pointing out that yesterday’s decision came only weeks after the EC’s letter outlining its concerns.
Telenet said in a statement, “If the CRC would not or insufficiently have taken the Commission’s comments into account, the final decision will be unlawful.”
Telent will now examine “all legal options to appeal the decision,” the company added, noting this could result in the CRC’s decision being suspended or annulled before the Brussels’ Court of Appeals.
