91998E4017

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4017/98

by David Hallam (PSE) to the Commission

(8 January 1999)

Subject: Discrimination against rural areas in the telecommunications industry

Is the Commission aware that, in the United Kingdom, the largest telecommunications company, British Telecom, has recently introduced what appears to be a discriminatory price differentiation for services provided to businesses located more than 25 kilometres from one of their fourteen service centres? Does the Commission plan to take any action to prevent such discrimination by monopoly undertakings against already disadvantaged rural areas?

Answer given by Mr Van Miert on behalf of the Commission

(16 February 1999)

Condition 17 of the British Telecom (BT) licence prohibits undue preference and undue discrimination. Users who claim to be suffering from undue discrimination in relation to any tariff can therefore submit their case to the Office of telecommunications (OFTEL) which has the power to investigate and where necessary enforce BT's licence conditions.

Given the existence of this national procedure, and in line with the principle of subsidiarity, the Commission does not intend to start an own-initiative inquiry regarding the practice described.