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Belgium to lower mobile routing charges
01 July 2010
Regulator Luc Hindryckx says cut the fees
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Belgium
BIPT
Belgacom
France Telecom
KPN
Proximus
Mobistar
Base
The Belgian telecoms regulator will cut the fees mobile operators charge for traffic from other networks from August 1, according to reports. It will also phase out price disparities between operators by 2013 to increase competition and reduce the cost to users.
Charges for routing calls, called mobile termination rates, have come under scrutiny from the European Commission and national telecoms regulators. The Belgian watchdog in consultations with the commission and the country’s competition authorities, has decided to implement the new rules.
Luc Hindryckx, who chairs the regulator, the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications, told Reuters that the operators can appeal the decision.
Since 2006, the BIPT has already cut charges by nearly 50%, but Belgium’s three mobile operators, Belgacom’s Proximus, France Telecom-controlled Mobistar and KPN’s Base, all charge different rates. Base, the smallest, can levy the highest charge under a scheme that will now be phased out. It was designed to promote the entry of new market participants. GTB