Germany (country regulation overview)
License Price: US$ 2,240.00
During 2009 and 2010 to date, the German market has made significant progress in adopting the European Commission’s (EC) regulatory framework. The telecoms regulator, Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), has finalized the market for retail call services including carrier selection and pre-selection services, and submitted final decisions on the markets for call termination and origination provided at a fixed location. Moreover, it is conducting a second round of market analysis on the markets for termination services at a fixed location and mobile networks. To encourage further competition, BNetzA needs to quickly finalize the outstanding market decisions and to review its decisions on some of the existing markets.
BNetzA is currently in the process of finalizing the new decisions on the markets for local loop unbundling and wholesale broadband access services. Once implemented, these will encourage further competition in the high-potential broadband services market, which had a population penetration of 30.4% at the end of January 2010; higher than the average penetration of the EU27 (24.8%).
Germany is still among the countries with high interconnection rates in both the fixed and mobile segments compared to other leading EU countries such as the UK and France. If relevant measures are not adopted, this will further exacerbate the ongoing slowdown in the growth of fixed-line and mobile markets, which grew marginally by 0.3% and 0.9% respectively in 2009 compared with the previous year.
To offer some respite to the mobile operators, BNetzA is auctioning all additional frequencies in the 800MHz, 1.8GHz, 2GHz, and 2.6GHz bands as flexible frequencies, free of service and technological obligations, to enable them to choose cost-efficient technology and to allow them to launch services with a shorter time to market. Initiatives such as these have the potential to save costs for the operators which could be translated to the end user, helping operators to withstand competition from the increasing number of players in the market.
During 2009 and 2010 to date, the German market has made significant progress in adopting the European Commission’s (EC) regulatory framework. The telecoms regulator, Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA), has finalized the market for retail call services including carrier selection and pre-selection services, and submitted final decisions on the markets for call termination and origination provided at a fixed location. Moreover, it is conducting a second round of market analysis on the markets for termination services at a fixed location and mobile networks. To encourage further competition, BNetzA needs to quickly finalize the outstanding market decisions and to review its decisions on some of the existing markets.
BNetzA is currently in the process of finalizing the new decisions on the markets for local loop unbundling and wholesale broadband access services. Once implemented, these will encourage further competition in the high-potential broadband services market, which had a population penetration of 30.4% at the end of January 2010; higher than the average penetration of the EU27 (24.8%).
Germany is still among the countries with high interconnection rates in both the fixed and mobile segments compared to other leading EU countries such as the UK and France. If relevant measures are not adopted, this will further exacerbate the ongoing slowdown in the growth of fixed-line and mobile markets, which grew marginally by 0.3% and 0.9% respectively in 2009 compared with the previous year.
To offer some respite to the mobile operators, BNetzA is auctioning all additional frequencies in the 800MHz, 1.8GHz, 2GHz, and 2.6GHz bands as flexible frequencies, free of service and technological obligations, to enable them to choose cost-efficient technology and to allow them to launch services with a shorter time to market. Initiatives such as these have the potential to save costs for the operators which could be translated to the end user, helping operators to withstand competition from the increasing number of players in the market.
Overview
Ovum view
Fixed market overview
Broadband
Multiplay: dual, triple, and quad players
Mobile market overview
National regulatory authority
Role of the German competition authority
Key legislation and regulation
Laws
Current status of market analysis
Wireless licensing
GSM licenses
3G licenses
WiMAX (broadband wireless access)
Flexible frequency spectrum
MVNOs
Retail regulation
The retail market
Quality of service
Price transparency
Number portability
Wholesale fixed regulation
Services subject to regulation
Narrowband voice interconnection
Cost model for RIO
Fixed termination market
Wholesale access
Wholesale broadband access
Wholesale line rental
Local loop unbundling
Fiber deployment
Wholesale mobile regulation
Services subject to regulation
Mobile termination charges
Mobile number portability
National roaming
MVNOs
Wireless local loop
Competition cases
CFI’s hearing against DT’s margin squeeze practices
Universal service
Universal service obligation
Appendix
The EC’s market definitions
Methodology
Ovum view
Fixed market overview
Broadband
Multiplay: dual, triple, and quad players
Mobile market overview
National regulatory authority
Role of the German competition authority
Key legislation and regulation
Laws
Current status of market analysis
Wireless licensing
GSM licenses
3G licenses
WiMAX (broadband wireless access)
Flexible frequency spectrum
MVNOs
Retail regulation
The retail market
Quality of service
Price transparency
Number portability
Wholesale fixed regulation
Services subject to regulation
Narrowband voice interconnection
Cost model for RIO
Fixed termination market
Wholesale access
Wholesale broadband access
Wholesale line rental
Local loop unbundling
Fiber deployment
Wholesale mobile regulation
Services subject to regulation
Mobile termination charges
Mobile number portability
National roaming
MVNOs
Wireless local loop
Competition cases
CFI’s hearing against DT’s margin squeeze practices
Universal service
Universal service obligation
Appendix
The EC’s market definitions
Methodology
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: 3G licensed operators
Table 2: Auction results of flexible frequency spectrum
Table 3: Fixed sector: services subject to regulation
Table 4: Mobile sector: services subject to regulation
Table 5: The EC’s definition of seven markets to be analyzed
Table 1: 3G licensed operators
Table 2: Auction results of flexible frequency spectrum
Table 3: Fixed sector: services subject to regulation
Table 4: Mobile sector: services subject to regulation
Table 5: The EC’s definition of seven markets to be analyzed
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Fixed-line connections in Germany
Figure 2: Broadband access lines in Germany
Figure 3: Mobile subscribers in Germany
Figure 1: Fixed-line connections in Germany
Figure 2: Broadband access lines in Germany
Figure 3: Mobile subscribers in Germany
