UPC Broadband Slovakia has claimed victory in a legal dispute with the rival operator Antik Telecom.
However, this has been denied by Antik Telecom, which has contacted Broadband TV News and referred to a statement published by the Slovak Telecom Office (TU SR).
In a release, the Liberty Global-owned company says that the TU SR has ruled in its favour after rejecting claims by Antik Telecom that it infringed the Electronic Communications Act, decisions or generally binding regulations issued by the Office.
Specifically, it claimed that the TU SR ruled that UPC Broadband Slovakia was under no obligation to provide Antik Telecom’s (OTT) service without any contract or agreed terms and conditions.
Kosice-based Antik Telecom was also opposed by small ISPs, represented by the association ALPI, and cable association APKT for the illegal construction and operation of networks.
However, this is denied by Antik Telecom, and a statement the TU SR says the following:
“The TU SR in accordance with the decision of 6.8.2013 stopped proceedings to settle the dispute between the companies Antik Telecom and UPC Broadband Slovakia because by law it is not appropriate in this case to decide. The decision to discontinue the proceedings is not yet final. The companies Antik and UPC have a legal right to appeal.
“The dispute concerns the blocking of access to retransmission services provided by Antik Telecom and other features on the smart TV set – top box network of UPC. Because the issue is blocking services, which are currently the law, decision or generally binding legal regulation is not prohibited, while there is litigation on access or interconnection as defined by the Electronic Communications Act and are therefore not met the requirements of § 77 of the Electronic Communications Act, the TU SR does not have jurisdiction to decide this dispute.”
