However, the DTI is claiming that the law will only require that
member states implement a regulatory framework for unbundling by
January 2001 and that the actual unbundling will not need to take
place by that date. This interpretation of the proposed regulation,
shared by Oftel, is already being questioned, although it might
already be too late to bring the process forward. If the
interpretation is unfounded, aggrieved competitors of BT might
consider legal action.
E-Minister Patricia Hewitt yesterday welcomed agreement at the
Telecoms Council on the European Commission's proposed regulation
on unbundled access to the local loop. Speaking in Luxembourg, Ms
Hewitt said:
"Far from dragging its feet, the UK has been
accelerating local loop unbundling. We will be fully compliant with
the regulation, and we fully support it.
"In the UK, the legal framework for
unbundling was put in place in August. BT's reference offer,
setting out the terms and conditions on which access will be
granted, was published in August. Twenty-eight operators have
already submitted orders for siting their equipment in BT local
exchanges.
"This sets in motion the process for
unbundling the first local loops. Local loop unbundling will help
deliver more competition, more choice and lower prices. We will
continue to back OFTEL in taking the tough decisions needed to
deliver it.”
Local loop unbundling will mean that BT and its equivalent
telecom companies across Europe will open access to local telephone
exchanges to competitors. It is seen as a crucial step in the
development of widely available, competitively priced broadband
internet access. Finland, Denmark and Germany have begun unbundling
their local loops.
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