THE Office of Utility Regulation has launched a wide-ranging review of telecom prices in Guernsey. Director-general Regina Finn said that the first price control on fixed telecoms services in Guernsey was introduced in March 2002 when they were still provided by States-owned Guernsey Telecoms.

‘That control is due to run out in March 2005 and so the OUR is now reviewing the market and prices and considering any future price control for telecoms services,’ she said.

One of the issues being looked at by the OUR in the three consultation papers just published is how the telecoms market has changed since the first price control and whether Cable & Wireless still has a dominant position.

The papers also look in detail at the way prices for key services provided by Cable & Wireless have changed since the first price control was set in 2002.

‘We are asking questions in these papers about what type of services should be price-controlled, how any control should be targeted and the way the control should be set,’ said Ms Finn.

‘In asking these questions we will be keeping in mind that in the absence of real competitive pressure on prices, the regulatory regime acts as a proxy for competition to ensure that consumers in the Bailiwick are protected.’

She said that the role of the OUR was to protect the interests of consumers and the economy by ensuring that they received the best in price, choice and quality services.

The regulator has welcomed competition in the mobile market with the launch of Wave Telecom’s service on 1 July.