Regulator may take action against Eircom

dahamsta

Regulator may take action against Eircom

From:ireland.com
Tuesday, 22nd April, 2003

Eircom and the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) have failed to agree specifications on a new product that rival telecom firms claim could revitalise the industry.

Unless a breakthrough in the bitter standoff between the parties is achieved at meetings scheduled this week in Dublin, ComReg may initiate regulatory action against Eircom.

That would open the prospect of fines running into millions of euro for the former State operator, should it be found to have flouted regulation.

Despite several months of negotiations on the new products - which are known as partial private circuits - and ComReg's recent decision to issue four legal directions to Eircom, competitors still cannot order a circuit.

Partial private circuits are components that can be added to Eircom's networks to enable competitors to provide services at lower prices to businesses. Competitors, such as Esat BT, are seeking prices from Eircom to enable them to use this product.

In December 2002, ComReg directed Eircom to submit detailed prices for partial private circuits by February 17th last. Following Eircom's failure to provide the correct pricing information, ComReg in February issued four regulatory directions in an attempt to force Eircom to provide detailed specifications for the new product. ComReg also set a new deadline of March 10th for Eircom to comply with its request for detailed pricing and product specification on the circuits. But it is believed ComReg remains dissatisfied with Eircom's work on the partial private circuit programme.

Industry sources say the crucial issue is the price at which partial private circuits will be made available by Eircom. There are also issues about Eircom's ability to deliver service level agreements to competitors.

In a statement published by ComReg in February, the body said it viewed Eircom's failure to provide correct pricing details as a "serious breach". It also threatened further action if its March 10th, 2003 deadline was not met.

Under new legislation, ComReg could fine Eircom a maximum of up to 10 per cent of its revenues if it succeeded in a legal action taken against the firm.

An Eircom spokesman said yesterday the firm had now submitted all the relevant pricing and product data to ComReg and it was an issue for the regulator. But he admitted there were fundamental issues between the two parties over the product's price.

A ComReg spokesman said it was continuing to work on partial private circuit products as "we see them as an important tool in the stimulation of competition in the leased line market".

"Experience in other countries has demonstrated that their application can produce significant savings for operators," he added.

The Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators (ALTO), a group representing firms other than Eircom, said yesterday the delays and lack of information on the issue were disappointing.

"These circuits are an essential element to support the roll-out of broadband services around the country. We anticipate savings of the order of 60 per cent on existing Eircom prices for leased lines," said Mr Iarla Flynn, chairman of ALTO.

shinzon

now thats more like it, hope comreg can stick it to eircom and we might be able to see some improvement on the current well we have the product in your exchange but guess what you aint gettin it syndrome

SHIN

Piliger

Originally posted by shinzon
now thats more like it, hope comreg can stick it to eircom and we might be able to see some improvement on the current well we have the product in your exchange but guess what you aint gettin it syndrome

SHIN

I wonder if this is simply another delaying strategy by Eircom.

They risk a fine but that may be tiny compared with the benefits they may get from signing up the first rush of broadband interested customers.

Nitrox

Can we just all agree that Broadband has a huge potential, and can we also agree that if the competition seriosly get started Eircom wont stand a chance! So what this hopefully mean is that we can start counting the days until Ireland will be out of the Dark ages and join the rest of Europe, and what it means for Eircom employees is that the should start counting the days until they will need to look for news jobs, YES
So i say this is perfect, let the poor suckers who could not wait for proper broadband suffer with EIrcom for another year while the rest of us stick to UTVip until the competition really get started!

Stonemason

Eircom have been feeding us (the aparently stupid masses)this delaying tatic for years now, but from the tone of comreg they arnt going to take this BS for long (hopefully).People in power get a little miffed if you flout their authority.Hang on is the deadline March 10th 2004 or the march 10th last month ?.



PS. If anyone from Comreg is reading this "YES" they are taking the piss out of you and the rest of us.

DSLinAbsentia

Don't know about the rest of you, but my faith in ComReg would not be up there.... They seem to be much like the Data Protection folks - relatively powerless, slow to change and have a civil service-type bureaucracy. I won't be holding my breath on the outcome because €ircon are wiley enough to know how to play the game.

I hope I'm wrong - I do, I really do!

OHP

How many time have we seen this sort of thing before? COMREG wave a big stick... Only to be beaten off by Eircon's Bark!:mad:


OHP

highlight

They risk a fine but that may be tiny compared with the benefits they may get from signing up the first rush of broadband interested customers.

What's a PPC got to do with broadband?

Dangger

Don't know about the rest of you, but my faith in ComReg would not be up there.... They seem to be much like the Data Protection folks - relatively powerless, slow to change and have a civil service-type bureaucracy. I won't be holding my breath on the outcome because €ircon are wiley enough to know how to play the game.

Come July ComReg will hopefully benefit from the completed transposition of the 5 new telecoms frameworks agreed on by all member states and to be in place by July of this year.

I have mentioned it in this thread.

Hopefully it will add to the continued empowerment of ComReg. Hints are there already with the recently publicised warning to Eircom over PPC's.

DSLinAbsentia

In fairness (as Ronan would say), ComReg are newish. I hope their powers extend further and that they have an EU mandate to stamp out the tripe we've endured. Ireland, e-hub, my ass!

Go ComReg!

I might even commission my own car/bumper sticker if it helps the cause!!!

Urban Weigl

ComReg is just a new name for the ODTR. Unfortunately, they are still the same. And as long as Etain Doyle sits at the helm (yes I know there are others), I am afraid nothing much will change.

Dangger

In all fairness I think we have already seen change. The current Minister for Communications actually appears to have some grasp on understanding the dire situation and has shown himself to be able to think and act on the issues. The previous regulatory body was snubbed by the former Minister and got little of the support it required to operate.

Urban Weigl

That is certainly true; ComReg are getting better support from a minister now who actually seems genuinly interested in improving the situation, which can only be a good thing.

However, I still feel that this was mainly a name change, rather than a change in the way they operate.