European Union Opens Phone Market

Iria · Jun 30, 2006, 02:33 AM

Source: Wired News
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The European Commission unveiled plans Thursday that would force telecommunications providers to share broadband infrastructure with rivals and unify regulations in the sector. Viviane Reding, the European Union commissioner in charge of the EU's telecommunications policy, said the rules would encourage competition.

Many countries are lagging in applying EU orders to open up their markets to competition, allowing historic telephone monopolies to remain dominant players that determine who can access their networks. As a result, phone companies like Deutsche Telekom AG and France Telecom control 80 percent of European broadband connections. In contrast, U.S. telephone companies account for only 38 percent of subscribers there.

Jun 30, 2006, 02:33 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 87	European Union Opens Phone Market Source: Wired News _________ The European Commission unveiled plans Thursday that would force telecommunications providers to share broadband infrastructure with rivals and unify regulations in the sector. Viviane Reding, the European Union commissioner in charge of the EU's telecommunications policy, said the rules would encourage competition. Many countries are lagging in applying EU orders to open up their markets to competition, allowing historic telephone monopolies to remain dominant players that determine who can access their networks. As a result, phone companies like Deutsche Telekom AG and France Telecom control 80 percent of European broadband connections. In contrast, U.S. telephone companies account for only 38 percent of subscribers there.