Romtelecom - the operator with the most extensive fixed communications infrastructure in Romania - will have to sell access to its infrastructure almost 30% cheaper to its rivals, which could see competition on the Internet market intensify, according to a draft decision of the National Communications Regulatory Authority (ANCOM).

The monthly fee paid by Romtelecom's rivals for full access to the Romtelecom network is set to fall from 8.37 euros to 6.02 euros. In March 2010, ANCOM had proposed a tax of 6.6 euros, but the proposition was criticised by operators such as Orange Romania, which regarded the tax as "too high to provide a real opening of the market."

The ANCOM decision could encourage other operators to provide fixed telephony, Internet, and IPTV services using the Romtelecom infrastructure, which covers around four million households and company quarters. The Romtelecom network covers 322 cities and towns and 2,264 rural settlements - the most extensive network of a local operator. The operator's rural network is not fully modernised, however, so Romtelecom's high coverage of rural areas is less significant as far as high-speed Internet services are concerned, notes ANCOM.

Romtelecom - the operator with the most extensive fixed communications infrastructure in Romania - will have to sell access to its infrastructure almost 30% cheaper to its rivals, which could see competition on the Internet market intensify, according to a draft decision of the National Communications Regulatory Authority (ANCOM).

The monthly fee paid by Romtelecom's rivals for full access to the Romtelecom network is set to fall from 8.37 euros to 6.02 euros. In March 2010, ANCOM had proposed a tax of 6.6 euros, but the proposition was criticised by operators such as Orange Romania, which regarded the tax as "too high to provide a real opening of the market