Conflict looks set to break out between RomTelecom and players on the cable market, including cable TV operators, over the use of RomTelecom telephone poles.
In an announcement on Tuesday, James Hubley, the general manager of RomTelecom, said the operator would no longer be extending the contracts with other communications operators whereby they are allowed to install their cables on RomTelecom telephone poles.
As a consequence, after current contracts expire, cable operators, including cable TV companies, will no longer be allowed to make use of RomTelecom telephone poles, reads the announcement released by RomTelecom.
Hubley said that RomTelecoma??s poles were not designed to accommodate additional networks. He explained that the decision was motivated by the risk of damage to the companya??s network, as well as the existence of a number of a??fraudulent connectionsa??.
a??If our cables suffer any damage, it is more difficult for our technicians to remedy the situation rapidly due to the bulk of cables on each pole,a?? Dan Pazara, external relations manager with RomTelecom, told Ziarul Financiar. a??The decision as to whether to rent out these poles rests strictly with RomTelecom, the owner of the poles.a??
The main cable operators had issued no official reaction by the time of going to press.
The chairman of the Cable Communications Association (ACC), Radu Petric, said RomTelecoma??s decision would pose a threat to cable access in villages.
He was also critical of the fact that there was no law regulating the use of RomTelecom or Electrica poles, while legally it was not allowed to erect any complementary poles.
Petric believes RomTelecoma??s move is designed to help it monopolise the system.
a??I understand RomTelecom also wants to introduce its own cable service,a?? he added.
RomTelecom officials rejected the accusation, saying that they had already had a cable TV division (CVR), which they sold at the beginning of April.
Ralu Filip, chairman of the National Audiovisual Council, was quoted by Mediafax as saying that the RomTelecoma??s move would damage public access to audiovisual broadcasts and, implicitly, access to information.
He added that the additional tax charged by local authorities for the use of poles by cable operators a??has no legal basis in the Fiscal Codea??.