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ISPs call on regulator to resign
by Franco Aloisio
Eight Internet Service Providers yesterday challenged the Telecommunications
Regulator to take a position on the Melita Cable issue and declare
the company to be in a dominant market position – “or
else the regulator should resign”.
David Thake, general manager of Waldonet Ltd., along with representatives
of the other seven ISPs, said they were against the government’s
inaction on the current dispute as to whether ISPs can use Melita
Cable’s infrastructure. The group of ISPs does include
Video On Line, Melita’s ISP subsidiary.
Mr Thake said the government regulations published in October
allowed the ISPs to make use of both Maltacom’s and Melita
Cable’s network. However, the regulations also stated that
access to a telecoms transport provider’s infrastructre
was not possible unless that TTP has 25 per cent of the market
or was declared by the Regulator as being in a dominant position.
Melita Cable, who yesterday announced they would be providing
cable over Internet for Lm19.95 a month, have stated that they
are not in a dominant position and therefore are not obliged
to open their network to the ISPs.
However, the ISPs think otherwise and despite numerous meetings
at the Chamber of Commerce, no agreement was ever reached.
Mr Thake said Melita Cable was clearly in a dominant position:
“However the regulator has not stated this yet. He should
take responsibility and state that Melita Cable is in a dominant
market position, or resign,” he said. He said that in a
meeting with the new regulator, Jospeh V. Tabone, the ISPs were
simply told that their licences were being increased.
The ISPs urged for more transparency in the liberalisation process,
adding that it did not make sense for a transport provider such
as Melita Cable not to open up its network to other ISPs. The
ISPs also said yesterday that the regulations go against EU
directives.
Last week, The Malta Business Weekly reported that the ISPs
were ready to take international legal action over this issue.
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