The New Telecommunications Act - Part 1 - A Chronicle of the New Act

Up until 1989, a public body, the Deutsche Bundespost, had been granted the almost exclusive right to provide and operate the German telecommunications network and related telecommunications services. Then in 1989, the so-called "Postreform I" introduced the first structural changes to the German telecommunications sector. First, the Deutsche Bundespost was split into three separate public undertakings, the Deutsche Bundespost Postdienst, Deutsche Bundespost Postbank and Deutsche Bundespost Telekom, the existing functions of the Bundespost being allocated between them. Deutsche Bundespost Telekom was given responsibility for the telecommunications sector. Secondly, the state's monopoly position in telecommunications sector was withdrawn save in relation to the provision and operation of the telecommunications network infrastructure, radio installations and voice telephony. The reforms of Postreform I were considered within a relatively short period of time as being insufficient -