Onafhankelijke Post en Telecommunicatie Autoriteit

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The Onafhankelijke Post en Telecommunicatie Autoriteit (OPTA, "Independent Post and Telecommunications Authority") is an independent Dutch government agency who is charged with enforcing Dutch law on telecommunication, post and cable-tv services.

The reason behind its creation in 1997 was to ensure competitiveness on the newly open Dutch market for telephony and other telecom activities. Before, KPN had a monopoly on the Dutch market, but after deregulation, other companies entered this market as well. To prevent KPN from pushing the others out of the market because of its might and sheer size, OPTA was created.

The Netherlands have a glass-fiber cable tv network, which has the highest density in the world, over 95 percent of Dutch households are connected to it. OPTA also regulates this market, and is a mediator in case companies have differences of opinion with each other on business matters. In theory, OPTA's decisions can be appealed.

Their function and legal position is similar to the American FCC.