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France Telecom Fined for not opening up network

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  • 09-11-2005 6:19pm
    #1
    WizZard
    Registered Users Posts: 6,762 ✭✭✭


    From here
    France Telecom has been fined a whopping €80m (£54m) for failing to open up its network to rival broadband providers.

    The incumbent telco - which owns mobile giant Orange and ISP Wanadoo - has already said it plans to appeal the ruling issued by France's Competition Council yesterday branding the fine as "disproportionate".

    The original complaint dates back to 1999 when 9 Telecom complained that it was unable to gain access to France Telecom's network to provide a rival broadband service.

    Rival operators were not able to gain access to France Telecom's network until late 2002, concluded investigators despite repeated attempts to get the telco to comply.

    But in a statement France Telecom hit back saying that the complaint was lodged even before the telecoms regulator had "defined the conditions for the opening of this market and before the end of the public consultation to which all players in the telecommunications sector participated".

    It also pointed out that France Telecom's approach to broadband "was a key factor in the development of the broadband market in France" and that "as a result, France has become the leading European country both in terms of number of ADSL lines and number of unbundled lines".

    "In view of these elements, the ruling...appears to be disproportionate, all the more since it is sanctioning behaviours and tariffs imposed within the framework of the sector specific regulation," it said.


Comments

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    #2
    eircomtribunal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,144 ✭✭✭eircomtribunal


    ruling issued by France's Competition Council

    Our Competition authority would not be legally in a position to do such things?

    Isn't the court case brought about by SMART overdue?

    P.


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    #3
    LFCFan
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 3,816 Mod ✭✭✭✭LFCFan


    What a contrast. France Telecom have been instrumental in the rollout of Broadband in France and still get a massive fine. €ircon have been a total hindrance to it in Ireland, have the worse network with the highest line rental and continuously flout the rules and piss everyone off and nothing has ever been done to them.


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    #4
    Tom Young
    Legal Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 4,338 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tom Young


    P. It maybe overdue, but will just be another delaying tactic. The CA are not engaged IMHO.


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