Press Release: Telecoms: Commission asks Italy’s telecoms regulator AGCOM to wait for verified cost data before approving price increases for access to Telecom Italia’s network

The European Commission asked the Italian telecoms regulator AGCOM not to allow Telecom Italia to increase the prices it charges competitors to access its telephone network (the so-called local loop unbundling fees) until audited data justifying an increase in costs is available. According to AGCOM the proposed price increase aims to better reflect actual cost. In the view of the Commission, the costing methodology used by regulators is a very important factor in determining the price of wholesale charges between operators. The Commission therefore called on AGCOM to base the regulation of this price on audited data. Furthermore, the Commission invited telecoms regulators in the EU to work with it to develop a consistent approach as regards the calculation of the prices for the access to the local loops of incumbent operators.