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Monday, April 26, 2010

EC e2020 views on Internet (not what NYT or WashPost report)

The EU telecoms ministers declared in Granada their view of NGA access and the Digital Agenda, including:
"1. Take concrete steps to overcome the digital divide by meeting the target of 100% coverage of basic broadband to all citizens by 2013 and promote wide take-up of high speed broadband by 2020.
2. Provide a strong impulse to the roll out of competitive next generation high speed networks through promotion of competition between broadband providers and by implementing a predictable regulatory regime for the promotion of efficient investment in high speed broadband infrastructure and related services, based on swift implementation of the revised EU e-communication services framework.
3. Boost competition and financing of the networks of the future by encouraging efficient and sustainable private long term investments and providing public support for open networks where needed and appropriate.
4. Promote the rapid development of innovative digital wireless services and the adoption of the future EU radio spectrum policy programme, with the objective of an efficient use of radio spectrum.
5. Safeguard the openness of the internet through implementing and monitoring of the new EU electronic communications rules on network provision."
Note the commitment to openness! 
UPDATE: this free market rant on behalf of the mobile sector (by an ex-Yankee Grouper now offering himself as 'expert witness' on behalf of mobiles) shows that operators are fearful of EC intervention (it is co-regulation not self-regulation that is proposed but the article is so littered with mistakes that we should not take anything in it as more than propaganda):
'The European Parliament passed a telecoms reform package last November that favors self-regulation (sic) through competition and lays down minimal network neutrality conditions. Kroes has adopted this and says she welcomes consultations, but her threats are worrying. According to the Financial Times, she says she will not tolerate Internet service providers that restrict the speed of commercial websites and would take action if operators such as Telefonica and France Telecom demand payments in exchange for carrying bandwidth-guzzling services such as Google's YouTube.'

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