ANACOM, the Portuguese telecommunications regulator, recently issued several draft decisions which, if confirmed, will signify a renewed effort to challenge the incumbent operator, PT Comunicações. ANACOM's current board of directors, which has been in place for almost a year, has been accused by new entrants of taking a somewhat hands-off approach towards the incumbent, a charge which these recent interventions would seem to refute.
The draft decisions have suspended offers made by PT Comunicações regarding:
- pre-paid minutes of fixed traffic;
- the replacement of traditional fixed-line subscription with a set monthly traffic offer; and
- an asymmetric digital subscriber line wholesale offer.
The offers form part of a new strategy recently announced by PT Comunicações for its fixed telephony operations. ANACOM's draft decisions also indicate its intention to impose a reduction in the prices specified in the PT Comunicações offers.
In each draft decision ANACOM has expressed concern that the offers might serve as a barrier to competition in the relevant markets and that other operators would be unable to present competing offers.
The draft decisions have been submitted to the interested parties for comment and final decisions are expected soon.
For further information on this topic please contact Margarida Couto at Vieira de Almeida & Associados by telephone (+351 21 311 3400) or by fax (+351 21 354 89 39) or by email ([email protected]).