Britain’s telecommunications market is unfairly closed to outside competition, the head of Sweden’s state-owned Televerket was reported as saying: Sweden is open for competition from foreign companies, but when Swedish Telecom wants into Britain the door is closed, Tony Hagstrom, general director of Televerket, told a trade meeting yesterday, the national news agency TT reported; according to Reuter, Hagstrom hit out at Britain’s handling of Televerket’s licence application and at the key role of British Telecommunications Plc in limiting competitors’ access, echoing the comments made by AT&T Co in April when it said it would enter the UK market; We have had an application to be allowed to compete with BT with the British industry ministry for six months and nothing has happened; further, we understand that if we get a permit BT will be able to review the terms for 18 months, Hagstrom said; I hope I have misunderstood that, because if such new barriers are being raised to protect home markets then the deregulation of Europe’s telecommunications will just be an illusion; Televerket’s first competitor, Tele2 AB, 40% owned by Cable & Wireless Plc, began operations in Sweden, offering both domestic and international telephone service.
