Dutch regulator ACM has launched an investigation into competition on the fibre market. This follows complaints by T-Mobile, in the name of E-Fiber, and industry group NLconnect over KPN. The incumbent is accused of frustrating the roll-out of fibre networks in smaller towns, reports the FD.
A spokesman for the ACM said the regulator wants to see if investment is being held back. As there is a growing amount of money pledged for fibre in outlying areas, the regulator doesn't want to see this disrupted or a lack of competition due to a few parties making things difficult.
The complaint centres on the roll-out in the Brabant town of Deurne. After E-Fiber started a network roll-out there, KPN decided to cover the same town with fibre, albeit only in the built-up centre. T-Mobile claims KPN is knowingly try to disrupt smaller parties from entering the market.
As KPN is much more well-known, it is likely to attract most new customers in Deurne, undermining E-Fiber's business case, said Margreet Hoekstra, the legal affairs director of T-Mobile. NLconnect agreed, saying it did not make sense to duplicate networks when there are still 5 million households without any fibre in the Netherlands.
A spokesperson for KPN said competition on the market meant some parties would come up against each other. "But it's not that we are consciously looking for it. We have our strategy and we're sticking to it."
KPN relaunched its FTTH roll-out in late 2018, after several years of investing more in copper upgrades and rolling out fibre only in new-build areas. Since the arrival of its new CEO Maximo Ibarra, the operator is resuming the roll-out of fibre on a broader scale.
