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iesy Repository GmbH - Irish Stock Exchange

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Our business would be materially and adversely affected if there were any adverse changes in relevant laws or<br />

regulations (or in their interpretation or enforcement) regarding, for example, the imposition of access or re-sale obligations,<br />

price regulation, interconnection agreements, frequency allocation requirements, restrictions on the ability of cable operators<br />

to package channels into premium cable television offerings, restrictions in the operation of digital platforms or obligations<br />

regarding certain platform standards, the imposition of universal service obligations, or any change in policy allowing more<br />

favorable conditions for other operators, broadcasters and subscribers. Our ability to introduce new products and services<br />

may also be affected as we cannot predict how existing or future laws, regulations or policies would apply to such product or<br />

service.<br />

In the future, our high speed Internet, telephony and premium cable television business, in particular, may be subject to<br />

new laws and regulations, the impact of which is difficult to predict. Any new laws or regulations affecting the Internet,<br />

telephony or premium cable television services, or amendments to or new interpretations of existing laws and regulations to<br />

cover related activities could increase the costs of regulatory compliance to us or force us to change our business practices or<br />

otherwise have a material adverse effect on our business.<br />

We expect to be deemed to possess significant market power in the regional markets in which we operate, which may<br />

subject us to more extensive regulation.<br />

Under the existing regulatory regime, RegTP is entitled to impose certain obligations on operators of<br />

telecommunications networks which have significant market power. Amongst other things, it may impose the obligation on<br />

such operators to grant access to, or interconnection with, their telecommunications networks and to offer third parties the resale<br />

of their telecommunications services on a wholesale basis. Moreover, the prices that operators with significant market<br />

power charge to their customers are subject to tariff regulation.<br />

We could be found to have significant market power in the following relevant regional markets: (i) the distribution of<br />

radio and television programs via telecommunications cable networks to subscribers, (ii) possibly also the signal delivery to<br />

cable network operators on network Level 4, and (iii) possibly the feeding-in of radio and television programs into<br />

telecommunications cable networks. Such a determination would entitle RegTP to impose various obligations on us. See<br />

“Regulation.” Even if we were not considered to have significant market power, we are subject to regulation insofar as we<br />

control the network access to our customers. For example, RegTP could require us to grant access or interconnection at<br />

specific conditions and regulated prices to other network or service providers or broadcasters for purposes of providing<br />

competing or additional services, and impose other restrictions on how we operate our networks and market our services.<br />

Furthermore, we may be required to offer our services to third parties for re-sale on a wholesale basis. Although RegTP has<br />

to take into account the feasibility of providing the access with regard to the capacity available and our initial investment,<br />

granting such access or interconnection would limit the bandwidth available for us to provide other products and services to<br />

customers served by our networks.<br />

Such regulation could:<br />

• impair our ability to use our bandwidth in ways that would generate maximum revenues;<br />

• create a shortage of capacity on our networks, which could limit the types and variety of services we seek to<br />

provide our customers;<br />

• strengthen our competitors by granting them access and lowering their costs to enter into our markets; and<br />

• have a material adverse impact on our profitability.<br />

We do not have complete control over the prices that we charge to broadcasters and customers, including Level 4<br />

operators, and this may adversely affect our future cash flows and profitability.<br />

Fees paid to us by the broadcasters (carriage fees) and by customers, including Level 4 operators (subscription fees) are<br />

subject to regulation by RegTP under certain circumstances. RegTP may have to approve fees ex ante and/or may declare our<br />

fees void if it finds that they are abusive and may either direct us to adjust our fees or provide for fees that are not abusive.<br />

See “Regulation.” Therefore, we may not be able to enforce our current or future changes to our carriage and subscription<br />

fees. This may have an adverse impact on our revenues, profitability of new products and services and ability to respond to<br />

changes in the cable television market.<br />

Furthermore, our carriage fees and subscription fees that are to be paid by Level 4 operators may require the prior<br />

approval by RegTP if we are considered to have significant market power and RegTP orders us to grant access to<br />

broadcasters and/or Level 4 operators. Fees that are subject to ex ante review must be based on the costs of efficient service<br />

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