By RICHARD PAMATATAU
PARIS - Like a modern storming of the Bastille, Paris-based Cegetel has broken the France Telecom local loop monopoly and is offering customers a slew of innovative communications services.
Cegetel spokesman Stephane Carre says his company will spend over €150 million ($271 million) this year to expand its network,
offering competing communications services to 75 per cent of the French population.
"We will have access in all towns where there are 30,000 or more people, hopefully by the end of the year. "
Cegetel's growing business challenges the New Zealand Commerce Commission view that local loop unbundling does not work and also material Telecom NZ presented last week to stave off the calls by competitors for it to open its local loop.
Carre says that because the system also allows for number portability, customers have an easier means and another reason to not stay with France Telecom.
Even under its wholesaling agreement with France Telecom, Cegetel carries one of every seven minutes of traffic in France and Carre says that number will increase over the year as more customers come on board.
Mr Carre was a keynote speaker at Alcatel Forum 2004, a forum for the global communications industry hosted by equipment and service company Alcatel at the Palais des Congres.
CegetelGroup is just over five years old and offers mobile and fixed services.
Carre said France Telecom was a greedy monopolist company and its close holding of the local loop meant customers were missing out on loads of services that were cheaper and more innovative.
Cegetel is using advanced technology from Alcatel which allows it to offer new services, said Carre. The equipment, known as a Dslam box, is installed in France Telecom premises and routes the traffic over the Cegetel network.
* Richard Pamatatau was Alcatel's guest at Alcatel Forum 2004.
