Bulletin
Historical agreement between TP and Netia
Netia and TP reached an agreement which finalises the earlier disputes and opens a new chapter in both operators’ relationships.
On December 23, 2009, the Presidents of the management boards and CEOs of Telekomunikacja Polska and Netia, Messrs. Maciej Witucki and Mirosław Godlewski, in the presence of Ms. Anna Streżyńska, the President of the UKE (the Regulator), participated in a ceremony of signing an agreement which settles the relationships between the two largest providers of fixed-line and broadband Internet access services in Poland.
“We are opening a new chapter in the history of the Polish telecommunications market. Thanks to both parties’ determination and goodwill, it was possible to reach an agreement which implements in practice the rules agreed with the President of the UKE. This will secure competitiveness protection and financial predictability necessary for investments and thus facilitate development of the market. The President of the UKE’s striving to reach an agreement and her role as an arbiter in disputes between the operators were of high importance”, said Maciej Witucki, CEO of TP.
“There would be no ceremony today if not for the tremendous determination of Ms. Anna Streżyńska, the President of UKE. Today’s agreement is very favorable not only to our companies, but first of all to our clients who will now be served even more efficiently. I am convinced that it is possible for competitors to normally cooperate, especially when they have a lot in common, as do TP and Netia.”, said Mirosław Godlewski, CEO of Netia.
The agreement between Netia and TP follows an earlier agreement between UKE and TP, signed on October 22, 2009.
Based on the agreement, the charges for telecommunications access (interconnect, WLR, BSA, LLU, ducts access) to be used in relationships between TP and alternative operators by the end of 2012 were set at a level binding as at October 10, 2009. Any potential changes to BSA charges will depend on the results of a margin squeeze test on TP’s retail prices to be conducted by the President of the UKE.
Furthermore, Netia and TP obliged themselves to withdraw immediately their law suits and terminate all legal disputes.
Moreover, the agreement will result in implementation of a number of improvements with regard to operational cooperation and control tools, which are expected to significantly enhance the speed and quality of servicing customers who are served by Netia through an access to TP’s network.
Further agreements between TP and alternative operators are expected at an early date.