Telecom avoids a fight

Český Telecom's relationship with the regulator, the Czech Telecoms Office CTU, has been cozy. Telecom generally hasn't gotten much more than a rap on the knuckles. But things got hotter this week when Chairman David Stádník of the Office went public with charges that Telecom was abusing its dominant position with its new Internet Plus program. Telecom dropped the program yesterday, thereby averting a bigger dispute. Alternative operators had gotten angry, and Tiscali had suggested that it wouldn't sit by and watch its investment in the CR be destroyed. Another TV Nova-like arbitration battle could have followed. There was even speculation that Telecom's top managers were intentionally provoking a fight, so the sale to TDC/Deutsche Bank would stall, and they would get to keep their jobs. But there was clearly no basis for this rumor.