On 31^st May 2012 the Communications Regulation Commission (CRC) adopted a final decision regarding the analysis of wholesale market for call origination on the public telephone network provided at a fixed location and the wholesale market for call termination on individual public telephone networks provided at a fixed location (Markets 2 and 3 of the EC Recommendation 2007/879/EC of 17 December 2007) (second round) in the Republic of Bulgaria in conformity with the EU regulatory framework.

 

The results from the conducted public consultation with the stakeholders are reflected in the final decision and the opinions of the Commission on Protection of Competition and the received by the European Commission (EC) recommendations after the notification of the market are taken into account.

 

The results of the analysis showed that the wholesale market for call origination on the public telephone network provided at a fixed location and the wholesale market for call termination on individual public telephone networks provided at a fixed location (Markets 2 and 3 of the EC Recommendation 2007/879/EC of 17 December 2007) are again susceptible to ex-ante regulation, as there is no effective competition on the relevant market due to the existence of undertakings with significant market power.

 

The CRC determined “Bulgarian Telecommunications Company” AD as an undertaking with significant market power on the wholesale market for call origination on the public telephone network provided at a fixed location and particular specific obligations are imposed on it.

 

The CRC determined “Bulgarian Telecommunications Company” AD, “ITD Network” AD, “Blizoo Media and Broadband” EAD, “Varna Net” OOD, “Vestitel BG” AD, VOXBONE S.A./N.V, “Global Communication Net” AD, “Gold Telecom Bulgaria” AD, “Eastern Telecommunication Company” AD, “Interbild” OOD, “Interoute Bulgaria” EAD, “Cosmo Bulgaria Mobile” EAD, “Mobiltel” EAD, “Nexcom Bulgaria” EAD, “Net Is Sat” OOD, “Netfinity” EOOD, “Orbitel” EAD, “Skat TV” OOD, “Spectrum Net” EAD и “Telecom 1” OOD as undertakings with significant market power on the relevant  wholesale markets for call termination on their own public telephone networks provided at a fixed location and particular specific obligations are imposed on them.

 

A new glide path for reduction of the call origination rates on the public telephone network provided at a fixed location and for call termination on individual public telephone network provided at a fixed location is foreseen in the market analysis. The first step will be in force as from 01.07.2012 when the wholesale prices will be reduced from BGN 0,0105 / per minute to BGN 0,0090 / per minute, and in the second reduction as from 01.01.2013 the price will be BGN 0,0085 / per minute and will be valid till 30.06.2013 and after that the cost oriented prices determined on the grounds of BU-LRIC model will be applied.

 

With the adoption of the CRC’s final decision the regulatory measures are subject to immediate execution.

 

The final decision, the attached to it market analysis together with the summarized from the conducted public consultations with Commission on Protection of Competition and EC results are published in section “Market regulation – electronic communications”.