PRESS RELEASE: Public consultation on analysis of the wholesale market of access to mobile services experienced a great interest

Prague, 26 October 2021 – After a call for comments from the public and the expert sector, the Czech Telecommunication Office received an extraordinarily high number of opinions, comments, reactions and inputs to its draft analysis of the wholesale market of access to mobile services. The Office gradually publishes these contributions on its website. The comments will be settled until 9 November 2021. Only few contributions received expressed negative standpoint. Contributions were made also by, e.g. consumer associations. The Czech Telecommunication Office gives thanks for all comments and inputs.

CTU received almost 160 contributions within the public consultation. Beside three MNOs, also four associations representing MVNOs active in Czechia and international organisation MVNO Europe submitted their contribution. Opinions to the analysis’ results were given by three consumer organisations - Sdružení českých spotřebitelů, z.ú., Sdružení obrany spotřebitelů Moravy a Slezska, z.s. and dTest, o.p.s. Also, 148 individual operators, for whom the possibility to provide mobile services has an important impact on their service portfolio, sent their contribution to the Office.

“We had never such an effective public consultation – so many inputs, opinions and comments. Beside others, also consumer organisations took part, what we are very glad about. It proves, that it is a really important topic for the whole market. We will hope that also the European Commission will have the same opinion about the necessity of regulation,” stated Hana Továrková, Chair of the Council of the Czech Telecommunication Office.

The draft Measure of General Nature No. A/3/xx.2021-x analysis of wholesale market of access to mobile services confirmed the current opinion of the Office, that this market is suitable for ex ante regulation. A common significant market power of MNOs was identified within the analysis, and regulatory measures were proposed. The most important regulatory measure proposed by the analysis, is the obligation to allow MVNOs to access wholesale mobile services for prices that enables them to replicate the offers of MNOs, and to compete with them on the market. The measures are being proposed for all three MNOs - O2 Czech Republic a.s., T-Mobile Czech Republic a.s. and Vodafone Czech Republic a.s., with effect until 2026.

For CTU Press Unit
Tereza Meravá