The Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) has imposed new obligations on Telia Eesti AS as market leader in cable infrastructure and network access. In designing these decisions and updating obligations, Oliver Gailan, head of the TTJA's telecommunications department, stated that the authority consulted stakeholders to achieve a fair balance of interests.

He said: "The new regulatory decisions and obligations for the telecom market are significantly broader than before."

"We have added additional obligations considering technological advancements, especially the shift from copper to fiber-optic cables, which have smaller diameters when installed in ducts," Gailan went on.

As part of the new obligations, Telia will be required to grant access to its fiber-optic internet network to other telecommunications companies in areas with lower competition. These obligations are aimed at heightening transparency in Telia's network infrastructure management, allowing other telecom providers to quickly and easily access information on the location and available capacity of the company's infrastructure.

Specifically, Telia must update its records of duct installations, streamline repair procedures, and provide both physical and virtual access to customer lines.

It is also required to grant access to poles and ducts under 50mm diameter and submit an annual report to TTJA detailing how it ensures internal separation of sensitive competitor information.

Additionally, the company is required to create and regularly update a reference offer for access services based on internal performance metrics, given over half of Estonian addresses have access to multiple cable internet providers, the TTJA found.

Meanwhile, state-aided fiber-optic networks are expanding, with around a quarter of locations having access to only one cable network. Competitors can lease Telia's networks in low-competition areas, Gailan said.

Before arriving at this decision, the TTJA conducted a thorough market analysis.

Telia has been dominant in the telecommunications sector since 2017. Recently, the company sparked public outrage by automatically and unilaterally upgrading customers to a faster, but more expensive, internet plan.

As Estonia's telecom regulator, TTJA is required to ensure compliance with EU law, regulating the telecom market to guarantee a variety of service providers, fair and non-discriminatory treatment, and quality service availability to end users.

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