Cracking The Code: Quick Guide To Telecoms Licensing In Ireland

The European Electronic Communications Code (the "EECC") is expanding the remit of national telecoms regulation across the EU to cover 'interpersonal communication services' ("ICS") as well as traditional telecoms services. While the ICS definition has yet to be interpreted by the courts, it is clear that it covers many OTT messaging and calling services (for consumers and enterprises) such as IM, Skype, Viber, cloud services and content providers that were not regulated on the basis of the current framework.

Once the Communications Regulation (Enforcement) Bill 2022 and the European Union (Electronic Communications Code) Regulations 2022 have been enacted, transposing the EECC into Irish law, the OTTs will be required to obtain an authorisation and comply with the rules set out in the general telecoms framework. See our Cracking the Code: Ireland upgrades its telecommunications regulatory enforcement regime & paves the way for delayed transposition of the EECC in