Geographical differentiation of regulatory remedies for broadband access

February 2010 | 17 pages | ID: G71A442F4A5EN
Ovum

Abstracts

Across Europe, regulators are attempting to better target their regulatory intervention by assessing how the competitive conditions vary geographically and applying different remedies accordingly. This approach emerged in the UK in 2006 when Ofcom defined sub-national markets for wholesale broadband access after winning approval from the European Commission (EC); other countries have since followed in its footsteps. In this report we assess the merits of such an approach and provide several case studies across the EU15 where it has either been used or considered.

Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

IN A NUTSHELL

OVUM VIEW

KEY MESSAGES

BACKGROUND TO GEOGRAPHIC DIFFERENTIATION

EUROPEAN COMMISSION GUIDANCE

THE MARKETS FOR WHOLEsale broadband access

COUNTRY CASE STUDIES

Austria
  Definition of market
  Operators designated with SMP
  Remedies imposed
Finland
  Definition of market
  Operators designated with SMP
  Remedies imposed
France
  Definition of market
  Operators designated with SMP
  Remedies imposed
Portugal
  Definition of market
  Operators designated with SMP
  Remedies imposed in ‘C’ areas
  Remedies imposed in ‘NC’ areas
Spain
  Definition of market
  Operators designated with SMP
  Remedies imposed
UK
  Definition of market
  Operators designated with SMP
  Remedies imposed

List Of Tables

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: An overview of the wholesale broadband markets (EU15)
Table 2: Number of operators in MDF areas
Table 3: Area definition in Austria
Table 4: Characteristics of geographical areas in Finland
Table 5: Proposed area definition in France
Table 6: Area definition in Portugal
Table 7: Area definition in Spain
Table 8: BT’s exchange footprint by area
Table 9: Area definition in UK