Dutch regulator OPTA launched strong protest against two mobile operators for charging too much for connecting a mobile phone to the fixed net. In addition Dutchtone and Tele2 Mobile are even raising these interconnections tariffs by 9 percent, the regulator said. OPTA is in no position to do something against this because ruling by a judge ordered OPTA to wait with measure taking until the judge had spoken out on earlier measures ordered by the watchdog. As a result Dutchtone and Tele2 Mobile felt free to raise their interconnection tariffs. OPTA now gives KPN permission to raise its tariffs too.
All this means that the mobile customer has to pay more for calling to a fixed phone. OPTA announced at a press conference in The Hague that the average raise of tariffs will cost the Dutch mobile clients more than EUR 4 million a year.
The question remains what the other operators will do. OPTA claims that the ruling by the judge puts the regulator in a dead lock. OPTA is worried that a domino effect will take place and other operators will also raise their tariffs. The client has no choice.
