OPTA has imposed a conditional penalty on KPN in relation to carrier preselection: Registering with a competitor should proceed smoothly

OPTA has imposed a conditional penalty of NLG 100,000.00 per day on KPN, because the registration system for carrier preselection still does not work properly. As a result consumers cannot benefit from standard calls through KPN’s competitors and the latter may be missing out on customers. OPTA has made it mandatory for KPN to produce a system which operates properly, or an alternative system such as a call centre by no later than 10 May 2000. If KPN fails to do so, it will forfeit a penalty of NLG 100,000.00 per day as of 10 May subject to a maximum of NLG 1 million.

KPN has had a duty to allow carrier preselection (CPS) since 1 January 2000. It is through CPS that both consumers and business telephone users can have their calls carried by one of KPN’s competitors by default. In this case they need not enter a four-digit selection code (beginning with ‘16’ in each case) for each individual call. KPN provides CPS with the aid of a so-called ‘customer controlled’ model. This means that a caller will first need to register with the provider through which he intends to obtain CPS. He can then call KPN’s voice-response system (0800 1273) to register the provider of his choice, which will carry his telephone calls to both fixed and mobile phones by default. As it happens, it will still always be possible to select another provider for each call by entering a carrier selection code.

Many complaints

OPTA has recently received many complaints from telecommunications companies that wish to offer CPS. Since KPN’s registration system is functioning poorly, it is impossible to select a competing telephone service provider in a large number of cases. In addition, according to these providers KPN’s system is often engaged and therefore inaccessible. In the meantime KPN has engaged the services of a call centre for the business market to allow temporary registration. It has indicated that it is not willing to do the same for consumers.

OPTA had already issued a written warning to KPN to resolve the problems three weeks ago. In view of the fact that this has not happened, the above-mentioned conditional penalty has been imposed. Based on random tests and providers’ complaints, OPTA will check whether KPN is now providing a registration system which operates properly. If KPN still fails to comply with this requirement after 20 May, when it may have reached the maximum amount of NLG 1 million, OPTA may take further action.

OPTA has imposed a conditional penalty of NLG 100,000.00 per day on KPN, because the carrier preselection registration system is still not working properly, with the result that consumers cannot benefit from placing calls through KPN’s competitors by default, and the latter may be missing out on customers.