GTS Polska decision to offer wider services boosted by URTiP decision

There is a new player on the telecommunications market called GTS Polska which will increase competition for the lucrative segment of business clients in Warsaw. For the past ten years it has been providing Internet access and data transfer services. Now it is seeking permission from the Telecommunications and Postal Regulations Office (URTiP) to extend its services across the country and offer local and long-distance connections. At present, GTS Polska is forwarding local calls through other operators and long-distance calls via TPSA or VoIP technology. After a year of fruitless talks, on Sept. 30 it received an administrative decision from the URTiP ordering TPSA to activate a point of connection with GTS. The company had 7,000 business clients and consolidate revenues of zl. 97 million in 2001, while this year should see these figures jump by 20% to 30%. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B5, Oct. 26-27) A.C.