Bernd Langeheine, a member of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Information Society, argued today at the APDC congress that maintaining separate cable and copper infrastructures is an important element in promoting competition in communications. “In cases where services supported on these two networks are offered by different suppliers, there is more competition ”, said the official.
The official did not want to comment on the Portuguese case, but admitted that the management by two different entities of the two infrastructures stimulates competition in the sector. To illustrate it, the official pointed out the German case. In that country, Deutsche Telekom also sold the cable operation, a decision that is now beginning to bear fruit in terms of new investments.
On the fringe of the congress, Bernd Langeheine considered, however, unlikely that the European Commission would take measures in the Portuguese case that would lead to a structural separation of the cable network owned by PT. The official confirmed that there is an article (82 of competition law) that could support this decision, but recalled that only once was a measure of this nature. In the opinion of the responsible person, the resolution of the matter should be the responsibility of the national authorities.
It is recalled that Sonaecom filed a complaint in Brussels against PT, which requests the intervention of the European Commission in the Portuguese telecommunications market and penalties for what it considers to be a monopolistic action by the group.
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