The International Telecommunications Users Group INTUG, is concerned that the European Commission’s Green Paper on satellite communications allows telecommunication authorities to side-step the issue of deregulation. In its response to the Green Paper to be published in three weeks, INTUG states, there is no need for any conditions to be laid down in a community directive for the installation, maintenance and operation of transmit receive terminals. The Green Paper suggests that in a deregulated environment, telecommunication authorities would oversee the installation, maintenance and operation of equipment. But INTUG maintains that this will simply allow unwilling authorities to obstruct competition, by placing stringent conditions on companies wanting to enter the sector. Although separated in the UK, European telecommunication authorities which regulate the industry are often closely linked to monopolistic public telephone operators. These operators have traditionally stymied attempts to liberalise satellite communications from their control, in order to protect their terrestial telephone services. INTUG believes that unless the licensing system for satellite equipment is removed from the power of the telecommunication authorities, the liberalisation aims of the Green Paper are unlikely to come about for many years. INTUG says it would welcome an early directive [from the Commission] on what it considers to be the minimum necessary regulations that cover radio frequency and safety-type aspects. Only in these two areas, says INTUG should there be any regulation, to avoid chaos. The rest, maintenance, installation and so on according to Donald Stephenson of INTUG should be left to private enterprise and competition to decide, which in itself is a kind of regulation. INTUG’s response to the Green Paper will be available at the end of the month from the INTUG office in London SW1.
