• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

NTT East Rejects Japan Trade Agency's Order on Optical-Fiber Service

Posted on: Monday, 15 December 2003, 06:00 CST

Dec. 15--TOKYO--NTT East Corp. said Monday it will reject an order given by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) earlier this month to halt alleged monopolistic behavior in the optical fiber communication service market.

The regional telephone carrier of telecom giant Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (NTT) said the FTC's order is unacceptable as the company has never been involved in a private monopoly.

On Dec. 4, the FTC ordered NTT East to stop blocking new common carriers' entry into optical broadband communications services for single-family homes in violation of the Antimonopoly Law.

According to the trade watchdog, NTT East unfairly cut monthly access fees for its B Flet's high-speed optical fiber communications service to 4,500 yen from 9,000 yen, thereby effectively preventing an expansion of services offered by competitors.

The fee reduction by NTT East has made it difficult for other carriers to offer optical fiber communications services because they borrow fibers from NTT East for about 5,000 yen per fiber.

The FTC plans to tighten regulations on dominant industry players by seeking revisions to the Antimonopoly Law during the next ordinary Diet session convening in January.

-----

To see more of Kyodo News International, go to http://www.kyodonews.com

(c) 2003, Kyodo News International, Tokyo. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

NTT, 9432,

More News in this Category