The EU Commission clears a merger between two Austrian mobile network operators subject to remedies (Hutchison 3G / Orange Austria)

The long-standing discussion about how competition in telecom markets should be best managed (that is, through a mix of traditional regulatory mechanisms – like access price regulation – and ex-post competition policy) has recently drawn new life from the debate about the need to provide the right incentives for the development and diffusion of next-generation technologies – from fibre to 4G and beyond. There has been intense lobbying from telcos, concerned by a combination of low returns and threats from competing technologies, while both the Commission and national regulators have stepped up their involvement in the sector and sought to send strong messages about future investment and the role that competition can play. A first significant development was Commissioner Kroes’ statement