The EU Commissioner for the Information Society, Erikki Liikanen, had some direct words for Ireland this evening, telling RTE that this country should get ahead with telecoms liberalisation - particularly local loop unbundling.
Unbundling is the process under which Eircom will allow its competitors to take over, or share, the copper wires into people's homes.
Mr Liikanen also told RTE Europe was at risk of losing its lead in mobile telecoms because of the major companies' big debts incurred by paying for third generation licences.
He told a Chamber of Commerce Ireland briefing that there was no room for complacency in Ireland, though it was one of Europe's success stories in the e-economy.
Mr Liikanen said the EU needed to bring down Internet access costs by fully liberalising telecoms.
