Archive notice: This article was originally published on December 27, 2007. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
A new standard contract had set out new conditions under which competitors could rent the so-called subscriber line (TAL) from Deutsche Telekom, the authority announced in Bonn on Friday. The TAL, also known as the “last mile”, is provided by Telekom and is the direct access to the end customer.
DSL providers can now register their requirements with Telekom in advance, which the Bonn group must then also provide. However, if the quantity ordered is not called off, Telekom receives financial compensation. Until now, Telekom only had to process a TAL quantity based on demand in recent months. Due to the DSL boom, demand rose massively, so many orders remained unprocessed. According to industry association VATM, more than 100,000 TAL orders have currently been left lying.
