An interesting development is reported by Wiwo and reproduced here and there. Deutsche Telecom (DT) plans to work with fixed-line competition to upgrade its access networks with fiber cables. One of the companies that DT is negotiating with is the municipally-owned cableco NetCologne. DT’s strategy involves allowing operators access to rival’s infrastructure. This strategy represents a paradigm-shift for DT which have never before expressed in public plans to let competitors access its physical infrastructure (and obvisously never seeked access to competitive infrastructures). On the contrary, until recently DT was seeking various forms of relaxed regulation rules in order to commence the build-out of its fiber access networs; a request that has waged controversity in the industry.
It is certainly of interest how future outcomes of DT’s plans may affect OTE’s strategy on related issues (DT owns 25%+1 share of OTE, and an equal share is owned by the Greek government) especially in the light of the recently announced ambitious project for FTTH in the country.
