We very much support the possibility to use traffic data for the development of value added services but we are concerned about timing. For the development of intelligent interactive services the extension should be in place by the beginning of 2001. As the 99 Review only looks at proposals for a regulatory framework that won't be in place before the end of 2002, certain issues and problems have to be addressed in more urgent way. The mobile market is certainly not a competitive market. Fixed to mobile interconnect tariffs are still hundreds of percents higher than mobile to fixed, without any cost base to justify that difference.
Mobile operators have a monopoly on calls to their customers terminating on their network.
Hence fixed line users are subsidising the calls of mobile users. Cost orientation for fixed to mobile interconnect is urgently needed to break-open the mobile oligopoly. We invite the Commission and NRAs to intervene and to take urgent action on this matter. The Commission and the different NRA have to watch closely the introduction of number portability and carrier pre-selection for fixed telephony. All delaying tactics of the incumbent operators should be swiftly dealt with.