March 29. 2024. 8:36

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Regulation, digital divide key focus of connected future, stakeholders say


Telecoms sector regulation must look to the future if Europe’s connectivity goals are to be met. Still, it is important not to lose sight of efforts to bridge the digital divide, according to stakeholders.

At an event in Brussels last week (4 May), telecoms sector workers voiced their support for the Commission’s ongoing Future of Connectivity consultation but noted the issue’s complexity.

Multiple speakers emphasised the need to adapt the regulation currently faced by the industry for the future landscape, but also to ensure that advances in connectivity are wide-reaching and that the digital divide is addressed if Europe’s ambitious Digital Decade targets are met.

As digitalisation moves forward, said Cláudio Teixeira, a legal officer in digital and consumer rights at the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), “it’s very, very important that at least we make sure no customers are left behind when it comes to connectivity”.

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The Commission opened its Future of Connectivity consultation in February, with a deadline for contributions on 19 May. The initiative is designed to gather stakeholder views on the evolving landscape when it comes to connectivity, particularly in terms of the infrastructure and investment needed to support it.

Reinald Krūger, Chair of GIGAEurope’s Board of Directors, welcomed this prioritisation of connectivity, noting that events of the past few years – namely the pandemic and war against Ukraine – had demonstrated its importance.

From a business perspective, it is important to take stock of the results achieved until now but also to look to future developments, he said, noting that this was particularly true of the electronic communications sector, given the weight of regulation it has faced so far.

What needs to be asked, Krūger said, is, “are we able to cope with the challenges ahead of us, not only by 2030, where we have concrete targets but also, are we able to be a competitive Europe over the next 20, 30, 40 years.”

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Highlighted by multiple speakers in response was a focus on competition and how regulation in this area could fuel innovation and broaden connectivity.

“It’s not an issue of more or less regulation. It’s a matter of better regulation,” said Teixeira of BEUC, citing the EU Electronic Communications Code.

“The Code is a success story of how, when we have targeted regulation, we can actually drive the economic operators to do their fair share and deploy infrastructure where it was lacking,” Teixeira said.

For the consumer representative, that telecom regulation was key in ensuring that connectivity was extended to more remote areas, even before there was a concrete incentive to extend it beyond urban areas.

Earlier this year, the Commission launched its Connectivity Package, a range of measures designed to boost connectivity and explore potential approaches to connectivity infrastructure.

The package includes the proposed Gigabit Infrastructure Act, which will revise the Broadband Cost Reduction Directive to accelerate the rollout of 5G and fibre networks in Europe, as well as a consultation on the controversial senders-pay proposal, which could see Big Tech companies required to contribute to network infrastructure costs.

Also published as part of the package is a non-binding Gigabit recommendation designed to shape national regulators’ decision-making, particularly with regard to the implementation of the Electronic Communications Code.

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When it comes to the question of ensuring more equitable access to connectivity, the Commission has also established several objectives, with Digital Decade targets focused not just on rolling out technologies to cover previously overlooked areas or sectors of the population but also on ensuring that citizens have the skills to utilise them.

Warnings have been issued in recent years, however, that, without significant scale-up efforts, Europe risks falling behind on its progress towards these targets.

Bridging the digital divide “is fundamental in the middle of the digital revolution that we’re undergoing”, said Teixeira.

As an increasing number of services become wholly digital, he added, “we see that, unfortunately, mentalities, resources, capabilities, education, have not kept up, and we risk leaving a lot of people behind if we’re not cautious.”

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