POST-LLU COMPETITION://Telecom Italia commits to Holland

Telecom Italia, through its subsidiary bbned, is the first of the Dutch altnets to commit to infra-structure-based competition in the Netherlands.

KPN is building an All-IP NGN, effectively making LLU obsolete. Altnets now have a choice: go with KPN wholesale services or invest in the (even shorter) local loop through SLU at the street cabinet level. The OPTA regulatory body approved KPN's plans largely and called for comments through November 7. By late December it wants to publish final rulemakings.

Bbned targets a nationwide local network existing of FTTH (munifiber) and KPN wholesale or SLU services.

Implications of bbned's move:

• Commitment of TI to the Netherlands, in spite of the market's size and competitiveness.
• Bbned being involved in numerous munifiber projects effectively makes this a copy of sorts of Iliad/Free cooperating with the French (Paris) government. From a bandwidth point of view, this could even put bbned at the forefront.
• It still remains to be seen what the other altnets decide to do (Tele2/Versatel, Orange/FT).
• Resellers like Scarlet could join in. Or would anybody be interested in copying the Carphone Warehouse strategy?