Complaints have been made about the JCRA view that JT is no longer dominant in the mobile phone market

THREE phone companies have joined forces to protest against a decision which decrees that Jersey Telecom is officially no longer dominant in the mobile phone market.

They say that the decision will make it more difficult for them to compete effectively with JT and they accused the telecom industry regulator of getting ‘its priorities wrong’.

Last week the Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority removed legal barriers which had restricted the States-owned utility company’s ability to introduce cut price offers. As a result, JT will no longer have to give 21 days’ advance notice of its intention to launch special offers or discounts to mobile customers. The removal of the dominance restriction also applies to the mobile broadband sector.

But officials from able & Wireless-owned Sure, Airtel Vodafone and Newtel Solutions met the JCRA last week to raise objections. The phone companies said that the move was premature and highlighted the fact that JT’s share of the mobile phone market actually grew from 2008 to 2009 from 61% to 66%.