EC confirms law to unbundle local loops by year-end

NEWS The European Commission today announced that all EU member states' telcos must unbundle their local loops by the end of the year. As reported yesterday on silicon.com, this moves the deadline set by some European regulators - including Oftel - forward by six months. Erkki Liikanen, the European Commissioner for Enterprise and the Information Society, called today's announcement "an adrenaline shot for industry and the internet". Under the terms of the legally binding regulation, telcos will be required to unbundle the local loop and provide access "on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms". In addition, operators must provide a reference book that includes prices, and terms and conditions. Per Haugaard, spokesman for the Commission, said no one would be excluded from the regulation. "We have a situation here whereby the law is quite clear and the member states need to uphold the law. If adopted, this will be a law even in the UK."