Deutsche Telekom, Germany's leading telecommunications group, could, under a new agreement enacted by the German networks regulator, face a fine if it fails to allow rivals prompt access to subscriber lines, a Handelsblatt report said.
The report said rival companies have been accusing the company of delays, sometimes amounting to weeks, to provision of the subscriber lines.
The association of Deutsche Telekom's competitors, VATM, has welcomed the decision. The rivals could also face financial sanctions, however, if they order subscriber lines and fail to make use of them, the report said.