Press Releases
Telecommunications Operators sign an agreement for the setting up of Fibre Optic Networks
Eight of the major telecommunications operators – Jazztel, Maxitel, Novis, Telecel, TVTel, Teleweb, Brisatel and OniTelecom signed an agreement on 9 February for the construction, installation and joint utilisation of civil construction infrastructures, namely piping for underground installation of fibre optic networks.
This accord between operators will facilitate telecommunications service provision, for which the prior construction and installation of civil construction structures is crucial. It will also bring forward deadlines owing to the simplification of administrative processes for obtaining construction licenses, meaning that a license obtained by one of the operators at any given location can be used by the others, when interested in the licensed stretch.
In practice this will compel an operator to inform all the other operators when it obtains a civil construction license required for the construction of fibre optic networks from the respective administrative authority. The undertaking of the project and the carrying out of the necessary procedures to obtain municipal licenses for the construction and installation of the network infrastructures is the responsibility of the licensed operator.
The joint agreement is extremely important because it forges an understanding amongst competing companies and will aid the development of alternative networks to those currently existing. This is fundamental to fuel real competition in the telecommunications market. It is also an example of the creation of operational synergies amongst several operators, therefore optimising investment in the construction of their telecommunications infrastructures. This will bring obvious benefits that will be translated into more competitive offers on the market in general.
Furthermore, this agreement is in the public interest in that it will preserve national urban property, conserve urban transport routes and enable a noticeable drop in the number of building works on public thoroughfares, leading to an improved standard of living.
This agreement represents another significant step forward in the development of the telecommunications market in Portugal and will contribute towards the development of the Information Society in the country.