KPN must help find a temporary solution to ensure undisrupted calls for its competitors

OPTA insists that KPN help find a temporary solution to ensure that its competitors can carry their customers’ calls in spite of the capacity shortfall besetting KPN’s network. Such a solution entails that these calls be confined entirely to KPN’s network, while its competitors charge their own tariffs. This will ensure that there are no difficulties at the point where the networks of KPN and its competitors interconnect. This solution will remain in effect as long as KPN is unable to supply adequate connections (interconnection capacity).

OPTA has decided this in response to a dispute between KPN and a competing telecommunications company, Versatel. This dispute involved a shortage of interconnection capacity. Versatel wanted more interconnections than KPN could supply.

The method which OPTA has devised of based on proposals made by Versatel, entails that the telephone calls of KPN’s competitors will be confined entirely to KPN’s network for the time being. This will ensure that its competitors’ customers do not have to contend with an engaged signal, because congestion occurs at those points where KPN’s network is linked to those of its competitors. KPN will simply send a telephone bill to its competitors’ customers. The latter will then receive a credit note from the relevant company to which they have subscribed for the discount to which they are entitled.

KPN and Versatel are required to reach agreement on the administrative aspects of this temporary solution within two weeks. In addition, KPN must have implemented the required measures within a month. In principle, this temporary solution is also intended for other telecommunications companies which KPN supplies with inadequate interconnection capacity.

OPTA insists that KPN help find a temporary solution to ensure that its competitors can carry their customers’ calls in spite of the capacity shortfall besetting KPN’s network.