Bosnia-Herzegovina

[BA] RAK Adopted Rule on Local Loop Unbundling

IRIS 2008-7:1/8

Dusan Babic

Media Analyst, Sarajevo

At its regular session, held on 27 May 2008, the Council of the Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK) adopted the Rule on Local Loop Unbundling (LLU).

The LLU regulates the procedures to allow multiple telecommunication operators the use of connections from the telephone exchange’s hub to the customers’ premises. The LLU also enables communication providers to offer the full range of voice and broadband services, as well as to foster high speed Internet access, direct to the customers.

This rule is expected to increase the competition on the local network access market. To achieve this it enables the development of broadband services, in particular Internet access services. A faster and less costly access to the Internet enables a broad use of e-commerce and similar services of the information society. The access to the Unbundled Local Loop provides new operators with the possibility to offer different and competitive services, using the existing infrastructure of incumbent operators.

By adopting this rule the Communications Regulatory Agency has completed its regulatory-legislative framework, which is necessary to conduct the liberalisation process in Bosnia and Herzegovina in accordance with its legal obligations.

This conforms to regulatory frameworks already developed and introduced in the EU Member States. Although Bosnia and Herzegovina is not yet even a candidate for EU membership, it has already harmonised its media and telecommunications legislation and regulation with the EU standards.