BoR (11) 06b BEREC report NGA Country Cases - IRG

BoR (11) 06b
information on roll-out of new infrastructures or technologies per geographical area. A
reasonable window of announcement is necessary to create a level playing field on the
retail market”.
- Explain if such provisions are applied and what they look like.
Due to the NGA decision of November 12 th 2008, Belgacom will provide BIPT and
alternative operators with its plans to develop networks (increase of the number of
distribution frames, sub-distribution frames, cable distribution frames, technology used,
network structure…), per region over a 5-year period. The information communicated
includes among others:
� all adaptations planned to the existing wholesale access points,
� all closing downs planned of points where wholesale access is provided,
� the time schedule of the network transformations expected/planned (globally and
individually per access point).
- Elaborate on your practical experiences with such provisions (e.g. have there been any
practical problems with enforcing such provisions?).
No problems with implementation.
� Are there any provisions dealing with stranded assets? Investments by alternative
operators get sunk if the closure of MDFs implies that pay-back periods are shorter than
initially expected. Are there any measures in place to solve the problem of stranded assets
and what do they look like (e.g. compensation schemes 5 )?
If notification period of 5 years is respected, no stranded costs. Each operator pays its
share.
If Belgacom wants to close down more quickly a site where operators are already
interconnected (before a five year period) Belgacom can negotiate with the operators
concerned an acceptable alternative solution (like the provision of appropriate services
from another site), the migration schedule and the financial consequences of a migration to
such a solution. If Belgacom can reach an agreement with these operators it may close
down the site at the end of the agreed migrations. BIPT can intervene.
� Are there any provisions relating to the costs of migration? E.g., how are the costs of
migration split between the SMP operator and the competitors?
5 See BoR (10) 08, Ch. E.2.
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