Telecoms companies have until next Tuesday to apply for licences to operate in the telecommunications market when full liberalisation takes place from December 1st.

The Director for the Office of Telecommunications Regulation (ODTR), Ms Etain Doyle, has said that the new licensing regime developed by her office would allow competition and would encourage companies to enter the market. "It will also herald a fast transition to an era where consumers are offered the best possible telecoms services at an affordable price," she said in a statement.

Ms Doyle said the licences were designed to ensure that the rights and needs of consumers were protected. She intends to publish a list of those who have been awarded licences and a contact name within each one to make it easier for customers to get particular problems addressed.

At present, almost 70 companies are licensed to provide value added services or call cards. They are all expected to apply for new licences, of which there are two types. A general licence will cost almost £10,000 and will allow companies to apply for telephone numbers and to allocate them to customers. Anyone who wishes to provide voice telephones or a public telecoms network will have to apply for these licences.

The second type is a basic licence, which will cost £1,968 and will allow all other licensable telecoms services to be offered to the public, according to a spokesman for the regulator.