EC Telecoms report

o_donnel_abu

Following on from the post i did on Friaco heralded by EC , I managed to find the original EC report at
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/topics/telecoms/implementation/annual_report/7report/index_en.htm

The report was issued in November.

Some interesting 'nuggets':

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND
THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

Seventh Report on the Implementation of the Telecommunications Regulatory Package

<Extracts>

4.2. Main regulatory bottlenecks in Europe

The following is an overview of significant horizontal regulatory problems in the Member States. The most crucial issues facing regulators, apart from the need to refine and clarify their own methods of operation, are currently call termination charges in mobile networks, flat rate interconnection for internet access, competition in local access in particular for broadband, the pricing and provisioning of leased lines, and general tariff and cost accounting principles.

4.2.1.National regulatory authorities and appeal mechanisms
To ensure effective market entry and regulatory certainty, there is a need for clearly defined decision-making powers on the part of NRAs, swift procedures and deterrent sanctions to control the incumbents' behaviour. This is often not the case, and new entrants in the market request increased proactivity and ex ante action by the regulators.
<Snip>

Concerns exist in a number of cases regarding the lack of enforcement powers, in particular to ensure that incumbents apply NRA decisions. Enforcement appears to be hampered by lengthy and cumbersome procedures in France, Italy, Austria, Portugal, and by low penalties in Ireland and Germany in particular.

In a related matter, it appears that incumbents have, as a matter of strategy, continued the practice of appealing systematically against NRA decisions (Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Austria, Finland, Sweden in particular) despite the fact that in most cases the appeals have not been successful. While due process is a fundamental legal principle, NRAs need to put in place disincentives for excessive delaying measures.
<Snip>


4.2.3. Interconnection – flat rate Internet access call origination (FRIACO)
The vast majority of users in Europe currently obtain access to the internet over ordinary telephone or ISDN lines, known as 'narrowband' access. One deterrent to greater use of the internet is the customer's awareness that, in the absence of flat rate or unmetered usage charges, the bill is mounting with every minute spent on line.
<Snip>

4.2.5. Leased lines
There is considerable concern on the part of new entrant operators and corporate users in relation to the pricing and provisioning of leased lines.
<Snip>

Monthly rental charges for leased line interconnection of 2 and 5 km vary significantly between Member States. As regards 64 Kbit/ s circuits, in the majority of Member States, charges for 5 km circuits appear to be higher than the price ceiling of €80 per month indicated in the 1999 Commission Recommendation, whereas in six Member States prices are higher than the €350 ceiling for 2 Mbit/ s circuits. Deviation from the ceilings is particularly noteworthy in five Member States (Belgium, Spain, France, Ireland and Luxembourg) for both types of line. No data are available for Finland.

In four Member States (Spain, France, Ireland and Austria), charges for 34 Mbit/ s circuits are above the ceilings (up to four times higher in the case of Ireland) for both 2 km and 5 km local ends, whereas in two (Portugal and Luxembourg, the latter on the basis of estimates) the ceiling is exceeded in the case of 2 km circuits.
<Snip>

Martin

aidan_dunne

Some pretty interesting points there alright, Martin. I particuarly liked the point that said, "One deterrent to greater use of the internet is the customer's awareness that, in the absence of flat rate or unmetered usage charges, the bill is mounting with every minute spent on line." I sent Eircom e-mails mentioning this to them before and how, in my own experience with friends and family members I have discussed this with, the single main deterrent from preventing them from goign online is fear of getting a gigantic phone bill from having to pay per-minute interent call charges. However, if an unmetered plan was available, they would gladly sign up for it because they would then not have to worry about a huge bill; the 20 quid per month they pay or whatever would be it. Yet, as Soula Evans said at the seminar, from Eircom's 'research' the cost aspect is not what stops people but 'boredom'. How stupid is that?

No matter what way Eircom tries to spin it, cost is the single major factor preventing people from going online. Martin, if you manage to get a meeting with Eircom, point this put to them and tell them that anything else they believe to the contrary is bull$hit.

o_donnel_abu

The one that really gets me is

it appears that incumbents have, as a matter of strategy, continued the practice of appealing systematically against NRA decisions (Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Austria, Finland, Sweden in particular) despite the fact that in most cases the appeals have not been successful. While due process is a fundamental legal principle, NRAs need to put in place disincentives for excessive delaying measures.

Most of us had come to this conclusion about Eircom already, I was surprised, though - and highly delighted - that the EC would be so forthright about this.

Martin

dahamsta

Oh, this stuff makes me smile ear to ear. At last we're getting stuff we can use Martin, eh?

adam

o_donnel_abu

Yes - I can see few pertinent questions falling into place for our next round of meetings

Martin

Matfinn

Heres an idea. Hopefully we will never have to do this. If we appeal to the government to help in solving the internet crisis, and we feel that they are not doing much to help us, why dont we make a direct appeal to the EU heads in Brussels? They might help us in getting Ireland back on track. Just an idea and something we should prepare for, although we should hopefully never have to carry out.

Matt

dahamsta

Heres an idea. Hopefully we will never have to do this. If we appeal to the government to help in solving the internet crisis, and we feel that they are not doing much to help us, why dont we make a direct appeal to the EU heads in Brussels? They might help us in getting Ireland back on track. Just an idea and something we should prepare for, although we should hopefully never have to carry out.

Heh, sorry to burst the lightbulb over your head Matt, but it's been mentioned recently on the committee mailing list as a possible route to take. As you quite rightly pointed out, it's a path we'd prefer to avoid, but it remains an option for us. I reckon we'd only go down it if the G really started to get on our wick. So it's not beyond the bounds of possibility, eh?

Keep 'em comin' Matt, work that grey matter man!

adam