Final Word from Thursday, November 28, 2002
The collapse of the sale of Český Telecom is being cited as another example of the inability of ČSSD to carry through privatization. Analysts have concentrated on this and the positive effects the failed sale will have on minority shareholders, without referring much to Telecom's customers. Alternative operators, though, have recognized that this will slow down telecoms liberalization. To avoid this, the state will need to find a new model for running the phone company. One possibility that had been considered prior to the privatization attempt was to hire Eurotel to take over some of Telecom's functions. In some areas, such as customer service and marketing, Eurotel is heads above its parent. If creating value and serving customers is the goal for Český Telecom, bringing in a proven team of outside professionals might be the solution.