Brussels, 12 November 2014 - Mobistar welcomes the decision of the Court of Appeal of Brussels ending the procedure initiated by Telenet, contesting the regulation of the opening of the cable market, by rejecting their arguments. This positive decision paves the way for further introduction of the regulation of the cable networks in Belgium and enables Mobistar to continue preparing for the launch of its TV and internet services on the cable.
Through its judgment, the Court of Appeal of Brussels confirms the decision of the regulators to regulate the cable market. Mobistar prompts the regulators to rely on this decision so that the implementation of the regulation will achieve its goals: improving competition in the market and offer greater choice and better prices for consumers.
At the technical level, the regulation will allow the establishment of a competitive and high quality service on TV and fixed Internet. However, the condition that the wholesale prices and operating conditions should allow entry into the market in a profitable manner (one of the conditions required by the European Commission) while offering an attractive price for consumers are not yet fulfilled. Mobistar reiterates and insists on its request that the regulators ensure that these conditions are improved in the short term.
In addition, the fixed market conditions did not improve for consumers since the market analysis was initiated in 2010, consumers still lack choices for "multiplay pack" at reasonable prices.
Mobistar urges the regulators, who have launched a consultation on a new market analysis for these services late 2013, to speed up their analysis and address quickly the lack of competition by providing appropriate remedies and particularly review the high rate of the wholesale prices. The current efforts and investments being made by Mobistar to develop attractive services through cable networks will only then allow to significantly improve competition in the Belgian market.
Mobistar will conduct a thorough analysis of the decision when the details of the decision of the Court of Appeal have been communicated.