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Delaying the introduction of wholesale line rental means islanders might not have a choice of landline provider until 2015.
Delaying the introduction of wholesale line rental means islanders might not have a choice of landline provider until 2015.
Last November, the Channel Islands Competition & Regulatory Authority announced that JT in Jersey and Sure in Guernsey would be required to introduce a Wholesale Line Rental product by June this year (with that deadline more recently being extended to November). Its implementation would have allowed other operators to provide their own landline services.
At the time, Sure welcomed the move describing it as an important development in bringing increased competition into the Jersey and Guernsey telecoms markets. However, JT took legal action against the regulator and this morning, the court published its decision on JT’s challenge.
‘While it is disappointing that the court has ruled in JT’s favour on procedural grounds, Sure is very pleased that it rejected JT’s argument that it was wrong for CICRA to require JT to implement wholesale line rental,’ said Sure Jersey chief executive Graham Hughes.
‘We have always been very supportive of CICRA in its efforts to increase competition in the landline market and remain committed to ensuring that this wholesale service is implemented as smoothly and as swiftly as possible across both islands, as it will ultimately benefit consumers.’
The court ruled that JT should have been allowed nine months for implementation of wholesale line rental rather than six months.
‘We will now wait to hear more from CICRA and will continue to work with them on this matter,’ said Mr Hughes.
He added that Sure would make further comment once it had fully reviewed the 29-page judgment of the Royal Court.
