The European Commission has cleared a proposal by the telecoms regulator that made Eircom lower the prices it charges competitors for access to its network.
Eircom will no longer charge rival companies that use its network for costs on lines they do not utilise, the executive arm of the 27-country European Union said in a statement.
'This would make it easier for alternative operators to offer Irish Internet consumers better prices and compete with eircom,' the statement said.
ComReg wants Eircom to reduce its current full unbundling (LLU) rental price - a fee paid by alternative operators for access to the last stretch of Eircom's phone or internet lines.
The plan would see prices reduced in 2009-2010 to €12.24 a line a month for LLU and €10.38 a line amonth for a partial local loop connecting to the subscriber, from €17.89 and €15.63 respectively.
ComReg decided in June to cut prices charged by Eircom for granting competitors access to its broadband network and for migrating customers between wholesale broadband products.
