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Review of telecoms markets
SIGNIFICANT MARKET POWER: Manx Telecom owns much of the island's network
MANX Telecom has welcomed a comprehensive review of the island’s fixed telecommunications markets.
The Communications Commission has published a series of documents that set out how potential competition problems in the retail and wholesale fixed markets will be addressed.
They include the regulator’s response to a consultation together with decision notices outlining new obligations on licence holders that will come into force next month.
Following a review, the commission concluded Manx Telecom should be designated as having a Significant Market Power (SMP) in much of the wholesale market as it owns most but not all of the network. To ensure an operator with a significant market power doesn’t abuse its position, the watchdog can impose extra obligations on the operator’s licence.
In Manx Telecom’s case it will be directed to meet all reasonable requests for access from other operators, publish prices and terms and conditions for its wholesale products and produce separated accounts. For certain retail leased lines it won’t have to publish its prices but will have notify the commission of its prices for those services.
Mike Dee, chief executive officer of Manx Telecom, said: ‘We believe that the Communications Commission has published what appears to be a very comprehensive review, with a balanced set of outcomes. In particular, we support the commission’s adoption of a regulatory approach which is specific to the Isle of Man, and which ensures both competition and continued infrastructure investment on the island.
‘Since 2000, Manx Telecom has invested over £100m in the Isle of Man’s telecoms infrastructure – investment which has been instrumental in providing a world class “Next Generation” fixed line network, a best in class 3G mobile network, plus the island’s only purpose-built data centre. The island’s economy has benefited greatly from having such an infrastructure in place, and will continue to do so as the Next Generation Network, in particular, begin to bear fruit over the coming years.
‘We, therefore, look forward to working with the Communications Commission, and with all parties, in establishing a positive regulatory framework which ensures we can continue to invest in the very latest technologies such as 4G mobile; technologies which our customers are demanding, and that the island deserves.’
Earlier this year, rival operator Cable & Wireless called for urgent reform of the island’s competition law and communications regulation.
It went on to lodge a petition of doleance against the regulator for failing to investigate Manx Telecom over an alleged breach of fair trading conditions in connection with mobile phone charges, claiming it had exhausted every avenue trying to resolve the issue.
In May, the Communications Commission published it plans to regulate mobile telephone charges for the first time with the aim of dramatically bringing down the price paid by consumers for their mobile.
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Weather for Isle of Man
Sunday 19 May 2013
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Temperature: 8 C to 13 C
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