The Communications Commission has approved the rules for the access of authorised persons to the electronic communication and physical infrastructure, the methodology for calculating the access fee in the event of a dispute, and the rules for the administration of the unified information platform. The adoption of normative acts was assigned to the Communications Commission by the Law On the Sharing of Telecommunication Infrastructure and Physical Infrastructure Used for Telecommunication Purposes, which was adopted by the Parliament of Georgia in 2023. The resolutions are aimed at fulfilling the obligations stipulated by law, which in turn will contribute to the development of high-speed broadband network infrastructure in Georgia. 

The resolution “On Approval of the Rules and Conditions of Access of the Authorised Person to Electronic Communication Infrastructure and Physical Infrastructure Used for Telecommunication Purposes” includes the legal and technical rules and conditions of access to physical infrastructure, the forms for requesting and refusing access, the grounds for refusal, the form of agreement and mandatory requisites for access, as well as the procedure for filing a complaint with the Commission, the deadline, the procedure for reviewing disputes, and other important issues related to access to physical infrastructure. 

The resolution “On Approval of the Methodology for Calculating the Access Fee to the Physical Infrastructure Owned by the Infrastructure Operator in the Event of a Dispute between the Infrastructure Operator and the Authorised Person” presents the price-based, future-oriented, long-term incremental cost model (LRIC+) for the calculation of fees for individual elements of physical infrastructure in accordance with the legal acts and recommendations recognised by the European Union. Furthermore, the methods and geographical assumptions for estimating or calculating service-related operational and capital costs are given in detail. In the event that a dispute arises between the parties, the Commission will calculate a reasonable fee for accessing infrastructure using this methodology. 

In addition, the Communications Commission approved the “Rules for the Administration of the Unified Information Platform,” which outline the rules for providing and posting information about physical infrastructure and public construction works on the platform. This resolution will make it easier to obtain information about telecommunication infrastructure, physical infrastructure and public construction works. 

Within the framework of the Law on the Sharing of Infrastructure, network owners will receive additional income in exchange for providing access to authorised entities, while the authorised entities themselves will save the financial resources necessary for network construction, and will be able to enter the market and provide telecom services to consumers at lower cost. This will improve competition on the telecom market and create a more favourable environment for consumers.