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Freenet wants Telefonica, E-Plus to offer cheap network access

Fri, 28th Mar 2014 16:29

By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS, March 28 (Reuters) - Telefonica, whichwants to buy KPN's E-Plus unit in Germany, should beforced to give rivals cost price access to its German networkand sell some of its prepaid brands, German telecoms andInternet services provider Freenet said on Friday.

Freenet's comments echo concerns by German Internet serviceprovider United Internet that the 8.6-billion-euro ($11.82billion) deal may lessen competition in Europe's biggest market.

Freenet, which operates virtual network Mobilcom-Debitel,called on the European Commission, which is now examining thedeal, to demand tough concessions from Telefonica before givingits approval.

"Technology-neutral, cost-based resale access should be partof the set of remedies which could mitigate the impact resultingfrom the transaction," Freenet said in a statement.

"Additionally it may be necessary for the merging parties tosell at least some of their No Frills/prepaid brands, forexample blau, FONIC, simyo, ALDI, to non-MNO (mobile networkoperator)," it said.

Albert Fetsch, spokesman for Telefonica Deutschland, declined to comment.

Telefonica is expected to submit concessions to the EuropeanUnion competition watchdog next week, which has set a May 14deadline for its decision.

($1 = 0.7278 Euros) (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Sophie Walker)

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