EU Takes Germany to Court Over Telekom

Legal World

EU regulators took legal action against Germany on Wednesday for Berlin's refusal to change a law shielding Deutsche Telekom AG's high-speed Internet network from rivals.

The European Court of Justice will now have to decide if Germany can keep a law giving Deutsche Telekom a de facto monopoly on a glass-fiber DSL internet network it built to allow it recoup the cost without of setting up an infrastructure with sharing it with others.

The EU executive's arm said this departure from normal regulation breaks Europe-wide telecom rules giving new providers the right to use telephone and Internet networks.

"The Commission has repeatedly warned Germany that its new telecoms law violates EU telecom rules but without success," said EU Telecom Commissioner Viviane Reding. "We want to ensure Germany can benefit from a healthy, competitive and fully functioning market."

Despite last-ditch negotiations, the EU said the German government was unwilling to change the law the way the EU wanted and continued to defend its position.

Deutsche Telekom aims to roll out a high-speed optical fiber network that will transmit data up to 20 times faster than current offerings.

The plan is to provide Germany's 50 largest cities with high-speed broadband lines by 2007. Berlin had agreed with Deutsche Telekom's argument that it could only make a decent profit on the network if it was exempt from any requirement to offer its lines to rivals.

However, the Commission says Deutsche Telekom's heavy share of the German market already give it a major advantage over other companies. It controls more than 9 million telephone lines out of the country's 12.9 million connections.

Related listings

  • Ariel Sharon's Son Sentenced to 7 Months in Prison

    Ariel Sharon's Son Sentenced to 7 Months in Prison

    Legal World 06/25/2007

    A Tel Aviv court today sentenced the eldest son of coma-stricken former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to seven months in jail for corruption, reducing his original sentence by two months. While handing down the reduced prison term, Judge Yehudi...

  • Journalist's Battle Just Beginning in Australia

    Journalist's Battle Just Beginning in Australia

    Legal World 06/25/2007

    The real battle for legal protection for journalists and whistleblowers is just beginning, News Ltd chairman and chief executive John Hartigan said today. Mr Hartigan was speaking after the conviction and fining of Melbourne-based Herald Sun journali...

  • US chief negotiator on surprise NKorea visit

    US chief negotiator on surprise NKorea visit

    Legal World 06/21/2007

    [##_1L|1067460125.jpg|width="180" height="135" alt=""|_##]US negotiator Christopher Hill flew to North Korea at its invitation Thursday to push for swift progress on nuclear disarmament, but a Pyongyang official in Vienna hinted at a delay. Hill's mi...

Illinois Work Injury Lawyers – Krol, Bongiorno & Given, LTD.

Accidents in the workplace are often caused by unsafe work conditions arising from ignoring safety rules, overlooking maintenance or other negligence of those in management. While we are one of the largest firms in Illinois dedicated solely to the representation of injured workers, we pride ourselves on the personal, one-on-one approach we deliver to each client.

Work accidents can cause serious injuries and sometimes permanent damage. Some extremely serious work injuries can permanently hinder a person’s ability to get around and continue their daily duties. Factors that affect one’s quality of life such as place of work, relationships with friends and family, and social standing can all be taken away quickly by a work injury. Although, you may not be able to recover all of your losses, you may be entitled to compensation as a result of your work injury. Krol, Bongiorno & Given, LTD. provides informed advocacy in all kinds of workers’ compensation claims, including:

• Injuries to the back and neck, including severe spinal cord injuries
• Serious head injuries
• Heart problems resulting from workplace activities
• Injuries to the knees, elbows, shoulders and other joints
• Injuries caused by repetitive movements

For Illinois Workers’ Compensation claims, you will ALWAYS cheat yourself if you do not hire an experienced attorney. When you hire Krol, Bongiorno & Given, Ltd, you will have someone to guide you through the process, and when it is time to settle, we will add value to your case IN EXCESS of our fee. In the last few years, employers and insurance carriers have sought to advance the argument that when you settle a case without an attorney, your already low settlement should be further reduced by 20% so that you do not get a “windfall.” Representing yourself in Illinois is a lose-lose proposition.

Business News

New York & New Jersey Family Law Matters We represent our clients in all types of proceedings that include termination of parental rights. >> read