Cable operators in The Netherlands are to be forced to allow third parties to resell their subscription packages under wide ranging proposals published today by the independent post and telecommunications authority OPTA.
In a statement, the authority said the emergence of DTT, satellite and IPTV platforms had failed to bring about a greater choice of analogue cable subscriptions. It also said the temporary tariff freeze was not a sustainable solution that would lead to greater competition. “It is for this reason that OPTA has imposed a resale of the cable subscription, so as to ensure that alternative providers are able to compete on the cable network. This will give consumers a choice of providers from whom they can buy an analogue cable bundle.”
It is anticipated that the new rules will come into force before the end of the year following the publication of an official draft on August 5.
UPC expressed surprise at OPTA’s announcement, underlining that the regulator had yet to publish its formal draft. “UPC finds it remarkable that OPTA wants more regulation in a period where the consumer has more and more choice. The Dutch market for television is facing severe competition between different platforms. The consumer now has the choice of four suppliers: Canaal Digitaal (DTH), KPN Digitenne (DTT), Tele2 and KPN (IPTV) and the cable companies. From this perspective we do not understand the OPTA decision; it seems that there is no real ground for it.” The cablenet said that increased competition in the Dutch marketplace was already forcing down prices.
OPTA is also exempting the national telco KPN from minimum and maximum tarifs allowing it to compete freely in the marketplace. KPN is also having the arrangements covering the wholesaling of its services extended to cover business customers. The tariffs covering access to KPN’s broadband infrastructure are also being revised.
An earlier attempt by OPTA to open up cablenets floundered following a March 2006 court ruling in favour of the then Casema, Essent, Multikabel, UPC and Delta Kabel.
