Telekom Austria obliged to provide 'virtual' network access to altnets

The European Commission (EC) has accepted a proposal by the Austrian telecoms regulator, Rundfunk und Telekom Regulierungs (RTR), to require Telekom Austria to provide 'virtual' access to its fixed local network to alternative operators via a virtual unbundling access product (vULL). This solution will, it is hoped, make it easier for new providers to enter the market, in particular regarding direct fibre access lines (which are currently not included in the unbundling obligations that apply to the telco's copper network). However, the EC has underlined that this move should be seen as a transitional measure, and called upon RTR to work towards a long-term solution.