Neophytou: telecoms liberalisation will be in place by year end

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Averoff Neophytou yesterday assured that the telecommunications market would be fully liberalised by the end of the year.

Speaking at a forum hosted by Planitis.net to present their ‘New Trends in Business Telecommunications’, Neophytou said the government had taken measures to keep pace with the rapid changes in the telecommunications market.

“We have put all the required legal framework in place to prevent a monopoly,” Neophytou said.

“The market will be fully liberalised by the end of 2002 and in the meantime, we have proceeded with the establishment of the National Regulatory Authority.”

Neophytou said the process of licensing additional GSM and new UMTS operators had already started.

“The government of Cyprus is encouraging the establishment of Cyprus-based companies to offer a complete range of telecommunications services, utilising the most advanced and proven technology in order to meet market needs.”

Planitis.net Chairman Anthony Voscarides said his company’s communications solutions would be enhanced with the deregulation of the market.

“After liberalisation, business and organisations will be in a position to enjoy value added services and products delivered according to their own needs,” Voscarides said.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.