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Regulator to examine Swisscom fibre plan
05 January 2011
Swiss cable operators have complained about Swisscom’s plan to develop fibre to the home in two regions
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Switzerland’s competition commission, Comco, is investigating Swisscom’s joint venture agreements to extend its fibre-optic network in two areas. The authority will examine projects in Fribourg, in the west of the country, and St Gallen in the north-east to see whether agreements signed by Swisscom with local utility providers reduce competition for broadband internet access.
Swisscom, which entered into a joint venture with the canton of Fribourg and Groupe E, a local electricity producer and distributor, in late 2010, is developing the Fribourg and St Gallen projects as part of its plans to spend $2.1 billion for upgrading bandwidth to around a third of all Swiss households by 2015.
The company is also developing similar projects in Geneva, Zürich, Berne and Basel. The regulator, which is expected to reach a decision within four months, has received complaints from the Swisscable, the body which represents 252 cable TV operators in the country. GTB