The EU has hinted that it may broaden its fight to bring down Internet access charges after claims that newcomers are still being blocked from entering the market by entrenched telecoms firms.
Competition Commissioner Mario Monti says progress on telecoms deregulation in Europe remains "extremely disappointing", despite years of effort to increase competition.
He says his office may soon "expand its field of action" to investigate new complaints of discrimination and "ensure a level playing field".
EU regulators opened a formal investigation last May into Deutsche Telekom, accusing it of trying to force new companies out of the market with "unfair pricing practices" for access to the local fixed lines.
France Telecom's Wanadoo unit also came under investigation in December for allegedly undercutting its competitors.
A spokesman for Mr Monti says the latest complaints are "not so much about prices, but more about the conditions at which new entrants are allowed to install equipment in the premises of current dominant players."
"We have received strong signs of discontent on the conditions offered by the incumbents to companies trying to access local telephone exchanges," says Mr Monti.
EU officials see deregulation of this 'last mile' of wire connecting homes and businesses as crucial to bringing down Europe's relatively high telephone charges and promoting broadband access to the Internet.
While acknowledging that many telecom firms are suffering financially since the bursting of the Internet bubble, Mr Monti says that only makes keeping markets competitive "more crucial".