Not because their are many overpriced ringtone and SMS services in Belgium which need to be regulated, but it is the BIPT [Belgian Institute for Postal Service and Telecommunications] which regulates the market and they know that these providers are part of the short code value chain which includes the three main mobile operators.

Contractually, any ringtone SMS provider is declaring his work practises/customer prices to the MNO/supplier as part of his agreement with them and the MNO earns handsomely for provisioning the service. Thus the sickening aspect of all of this is that the so called Belgian government is not addressing the main problem but just adding some spin/PR saying they are regulating the ringtone suppliers [Total Arse].

For those of who who do not know it, The Belgian Governement is a major owner in Belgacom [which includes Proxmus the mobile operator]. Why should the Belgian government want to create any legislation that would affect their own enterprises.

Why did the BIPT not seek to impose restrictions on the actual operators that are offering the short codes to independant services?

Having known this country for some time and having first hand experience in a government owned mobile operator :0) , I can assure you that the system here exists to protect the government owned investments.

Until the Government gets out of its mobile/broadband investments and then the BIPT improve their work rate and efficiency [God you guys are so slow, even the EU can legislate quicker than you guys in more languages than just Flemish and French] We will have a very slow market trying to open here.

You might like to know their are others making noises about the situation: http://www.forbes.com/technology/feeds/afx/2007/03/22/afx3540928.html

Loopy is back………………