O2 boss hits out at Irish mobile regulation

O2 Ireland chief executive Danuta Gray has expressed her frustration at the level of regulation in the Irish mobile industry.

Dismissing accusations that there was not enough competition within the sector, Ms Gray said that Ireland had "one of the toughest regulatory regimes in Europe."

"Everything from text messaging to access to our network, to commercial agreements with other fixed and mobile operators is at threat of being regulated," she told a lunch held by the Leinster Society of Chartered Accountants.

Ms Gray told the lunch that this environment left O2 "constrained in terms of developing new services and concluding commercial deals".

She called for a total review of the way the mobile sector in Ireland is regulated - one that would assess its objectives as well as its associated costs.

"The question needs to be asked, when will sectoral regulation move aside and make room for competition law as used to regulate the majority of industry in Ireland?" she continued.

"With three mobile operators now present in Ireland, and a fourth on the way, there is abundant competition in this market."