The European Commission (EC) has approved a plan put forward by Ireland’s telecoms watchdog ComReg to force incumbent operator Eircom to reduce the prices it charges competitors for access to its network. In a statement the European Union (EU) said Eircom would no longer charge rivals that use its network for costs associated with lines they do not actually use. In a statement the EU said: ‘This would make it easier for alternative operators to offer Irish internet consumers better prices and compete with Eircom.’
ComReg is calling on the former monopoly to cut its current full local loop unbundling (LLU) rental price in 2009-2010 from EUR17.89 per line per month to EUR12.24 and from EUR15.63 per line per month to EUR10.38 for a partial local loop connection.