OPTA facilitates rapid switching of DSL broadband Internet access

The Commission of OPTA, the regulatory authority for the postal and telecommunications markets, is of the opinion that switching between broadband Internet (DSL) service providers must occur more rapidly. At present there can be a waiting time of up to a month or more before a transfer is processed, during which time users often finds themselves without any DSL connection at all. However, there is no need for this in technical terms. The situation which OPTA envisages, is one in which the interruption is reduced to a maximum of several hours in practice. Since the switching process takes so long now, many customers find it difficult to switch DSL providers in practice despite the provision of more appealing offers and services by other providers.

The DSL providers, BBNED, Tiscali and Versatel, had asked OPTA to caution KPN to help facilitate switching. In the broadband market, KPN is both a supplier of local loops (so-called unbundled lines) and a DSL provider. In most cases, the waiting times were due to the fact that KPN refused to set the switches in the exchanges, as required, because not all of the DSL providers had entered into an agreement with each other to regulate the transfer process,. KPN’s business unit which provides DSL services then prevented such an agreement from being concluded. The applicants had therefore asked OPTA to make it mandatory for KPN to assist with such transfers in its capacity as a supplier of local loops.

OPTA has decided that KPN is required to carry out the migration of unbundled local loops unconditionally. However, any party requesting this must provide KPN with an estimate of the number of switches beforehand. This is required to ensure a brief transfer time. In this respect the new DSL provider is required to notify the former provider of the time when the switch is to occur and subsequently that this has been completed.

This decision will have the effect of facilitating the operation of market forces in this segment of the electronic communications sector. All parties will benefit from this, even KPN in its capacity as a DSL provider.

This simple migration option will make it easier for DSL providers to offer telephone services in addition to Internet access, via the latter for example. At present the transfer time still represents too much of an obstacle to this. Telephone service and connection end users will therefore have greater choice as a result.