TeliaSonera Sweden comments on the Swedish NRA's proposal for a new calculation model

TeliaSonera Sweden comments on the Swedish NRA's proposal for a new calculation model TeliaSonera Sweden has the following comments to the Swedish NRA proposal for a new calculation model: - TeliaSonera Sweden welcomes a new calculation model in accordance with EU recommendations. Two years ago TeliaSonera requested that a new model should be prepared with the objective of providing the correct incitement for investments in networks and technology, says Marie Ehrling, Managing Director of TeliaSonera Sweden. - There have been serious shortcomings in the earlier methodology and we take it for granted that the NRA will rectify this situation. Calculations indicate that interconnect pricing between operators for fixed telephony will reduce over time and that this is an expected consequence. It will be to the advantage of all players in the market if the pricing structure for interconnect is the same for all fixed network operators. However, the model gives no indication how TeliaSonera should tackle the present situation in relation to the interconnect pricing imbalance with Tele2 and Vodafone on the mobile side, which is unfair to all customers calling to these network users. - Cost calculations for access and other network elements increase in the new model and give a more correct incitement for future investments. In what way this could affect consumer prising is at present too early to say. - There are still a number of unclear components in the new model that we assume that the NRA will rectify. One example is a risk that the model will continue to preserve the present telephone subscription situation. TeliaSonera Sweden recently presented a proposal which ensures that all operators - both TeliaSonera and others - can utilise the copper access network more freely rather than being locked into a legacy situation which impedes continued development in the fixed copper network, says Marie Ehrling For further information journalists can contact: TeliaSonera´s Press Service, Ola Kallemur, +46-(0)8-713 58 30 ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/12/21/20031219BIT01270/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2003/12/21/20031219BIT01270/wkr0002.pdf