Act of 7 May 2010 on supporting the development of telecommunications services and networks
31.08.201017:41
Piotr
The project was developed during the work of the ‘Digital Poland’ - initiative, which was established by the Polish Prime Minister to promote the Internet access for all Polish citizens.
Coming into force of the above mentioned Act will help to:
• achieve the goals of the ”Stability and Development Plan – enhancing Polish economy in the light of world financial crisis” and accomplish other anti-crisis actions. One of the most important elements of this Plan is to enlarge the demand for investments in the telecommunication sector. Innovation and communication technology are one of the factors stimulating the economic growth and employment.
• The main aim of the bill is to improve the investment process, enlarge the competiveness on the telecommunication market and in consequence to eradicate digital exclusion, both social and geographic.
• According to the bill, local authorities will be able to undertake economic activity in the telecommunications field and to build own infrastructure (optionally).
Requirements for this economic activity of local authorities will be set up by the bill. This above mentioned activity can not, in any way, disturb competition on the telecommunications market.
The bill includes the regulation that will allow sharing the risks of investments in infrastructure and the access to this infrastructure, build from the public sources, on open network provision. Consequently, the local authorities will need to provide access to and share the infrastructure and networks on the equal and transparent basis- with all interested parties.
Furthermore, according to the regulation:
• Telecommunication businesses must be given access to the relevant technical infrastructure owned by the public utilities.
• There is an obligation imposed on administrators of road construction sites to build services ducts.
• There is also an obligation to include telecommunication infrastructure, while building new housing.
• The new law creates separate ownership of multifibre.
Additionally, changes initiated by the Act eliminate barriers in the investment process existing in many binding regulations like building law.
A copy of the Act can be downloaded from here.
