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ALTO (Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators), which represents the interests of companies that include Budget, Chorus, COLT, Cable & Wireless, Esat and Meteor says that full competition in the telecommunications sector is still a long way off. The group also claims that Ireland's telecom industry is still operating in an environment where operational and regulatory hurdles make it difficult for people to do business.
There are approximately 70 licensed operators in Ireland, but ALTO believes that further competition would benefit the market. Iarla Flynn, the company's chairperson, said that unmetered Internet access has proven a sustainable business model in other European countries such as the UK and the Netherlands.
The group welcomed the new Communications Bill, which provides a framework interaction between operators and local authorities, as well as promoting the development of competition in the Irish market. However it believes that the local loop should have been unbundled months before now.
"One of the key areas in developing competition is the need to have a consistent framework in the place, with the development of infrastructure around the country on a more equal basis," Iarla Flynn told ElectricNews.Net.
ALTO is calling on the ODTR to require Eircom to provide unmetered interconnection to other operators.
"National regulators and national government play a crucial role in forcing the incumbent to supply unmetered interconnect to other operatorsÂ…however, the ODTR has not placed any obligation on Eircom to supply unmetered interconnection to other operators," Flynn said.
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