Most of the EU's countries are poised to abolish State monopolies and liberalise their telecommunications markets from next Thursday. Ireland has a derogation on deregulation until the year 2000.
The landmark move is likely to trigger cut-throat competition and lead to lower prices across Europe.
The reform on January 1st will allow consumers to choose between the various telecom operations and pick those offering the best rates for domestic as well as international calls.
Since the European Commission came out in April 1993 with the proposal to scrap national monopolies in the telecommunications sector and liberalise the market, the 15 EU countries have had five years to get their industries into shape to confront the competition. On the eve of the big day, all but a few laggards are ready to take the plunge. Those which have made the biggest strides are Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Britain where the formerly state-owned British Telecom was privatised in the early 1980s by Margaret Thatcher's ultra-liberal government.
France, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Luxembourg, Ireland and Belgium come next, with in the bottom league, Greece, Portugal and Spain.
For those countries whose telecommunications networks are small or technically less well developed, the EU Commission has agreed to let them put off liberalisation until after 2000. They are Ireland, Portugal, Luxembourg, Greece and Spain.
Elsewhere, the main outstanding problems concern delays in incorporating European legislation into national law, in awarding licences to new operators and in setting up inter-connections vital to a free market.
The EU Commission has also said it considers that prices charged by telephone operators of the various States to "carry" international calls do not reflect the real costs and has called for tariffs to be lowered.
The Commission said the difference between the cost of domestic calls in EU States and of international calls made from these same States, was not justified and has called for an inquiry into pricing.
The liberalisation of all telecommunications in the EU represents a market of 200 billion ECUs (about IR£153 billion). The move will broaden the range of services available to consumers while bringing down prices.
Two of the EU's biggest operators, Deutsche Telekom of Germany and France Telecom, are already furbishing their arms to face up to the onslaught of competition.
Deutsche Telekom, whose services are among the most expensive in Europe, has announced a reduction of about 4.5 per cent in its tariffs, while France Telecom which has already revised its tariffs downward in 1997 intends to pursue the policy at an average annual rhythm of 9 per cent in 1998 and 4.5 percent in 1999 and 2000.
In addition to these benefits for consumers, a free market is regarded as essential to the development in the EU of the so-called "information highways", allowing simultaneous highspeed transmission of sound, pictures and data.