[kictanet] Fwd: [Internet Policy] Kroes speech - A Telecoms Single Market: Building a Connected Continent

Tue Jul 23 14:23:03 EAT 2013

Listers,

FYI

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Joly MacFie <joly at punkcast.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 9, 2013 at 8:40 PM
Subject: [Internet Policy] Kroes speech - A Telecoms Single Market:
Building a Connected Continent
To: "internetpolicy at elists.isoc.org" <InternetPolicy at elists.isoc.org>

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-13-622_en.htm

Exchange of views on forthcoming legislative initiatives in the area of
Digital Agenda: 'Ensuring Connectivity for the Digital Economy' at ITRE
Committee Meeting in the European Parliament / Brussels

9 July 2013

To add your comment to this speech, see the social version of the speech
here <http://commentneelie.eu/>

Thank you for inviting me to speak. Today I want to present you with my
detailed ideas on building a connected continent.

The world is going digital. This is a growing global market: we must take
advantage. But our telecoms sector and ICT ecosystem, once the envy of the
world, are not competing. Our citizens and businesses face barriers and
unfair charges. This is supposed to be a global network: but it faces
border checkpoints, even within our single market.

The rest of the world is racing ahead. America, Japan, Korea have 88% of
the world's 4G subscriptions; the EU has just 6. Meanwhile, only 2% of
European homes have superfast broadband.

Those problems need solutions. And I intend a package to do that; due first
thing in September.

It will bring down borders, stimulate investment, make it easier to operate
and communicate across the EU. Building on our existing framework. Boosting
our connected continent in three key ways.

First: for truly European networks, it must be easier to communicate across
borders. Without operators facing a tangle of different, incompatible
rules. If you're allowed to operate anywhere in Europe – authorised within
an EU framework — then you should be able to operate everywhere in the EU.
And I don't just mean "possible": but straightforward in practice. Like a
single authorisation system with supervision by the home member state.

And more chance for the Commission to ensure consistent remedies. Less red
tape, less cost, less hassle: that's what a single market means. That's the
boost they already have in sectors from banking to broadcasting: now, for
telecoms too.

Second, those operators need "inputs" – the networks to run on. Again, as
it stands, that's too hard, especially across borders. We need more
consistent ways to access fixed networks – like standardising ways to
access networks, so-called "virtual bitstream" products. And with
interconnection services that guarantee quality. Plus for wireless we need
better spectrum rules. Spectrum bands need more consistent licence
conditions – like how long licences last, block sizes, fee structures and
so on. All those things will make it easier to run a network over multiple
countries - and easier to enjoy high quality services over them.

Third, our citizens need to enjoy fair rights and a fair deal – across the
Union.

Including the right to net neutrality.

Blocking or throttling services isn't just unfair and annoying for users –
it's a death sentence for innovators too. So I will guarantee net
neutrality. With more transparency, so you know what's in your contract.
Making it easier to switch providers. Allowing the new premium services
which so many new services rely on – from cloud computing to eHealth. And I
will end anticompetitive blocking and throttling, for every citizen, on
every network, on every device. Internet growth depends on openness and
innovation: I will provide an absolute safeguard.

A fair deal includes fairer prices. European calls shouldn't count as a
costly "international call"; not within a true single market. You shouldn't
face a sudden price hike, just to call across an internal border, so
any difference
in price must be objectively justified by additional costs.

And of course, in a true single market, there are no artificial roaming
charges. It's irritating, it's unfair, it belongs to the past. Often, the
only remaining reminder of our internal borders is the phone in your
pocket: that has to change. Millions of Europeans enjoy great, transparent
packages on their mobile subscription; they expect to pay once and have
everything included. Not just when they're at home: but when they travel
too. They should be able to take their mobile minutes, messages and
megabytes with them, wherever they travel in Europe.

I know you raise the issue of roaming in the draft report from Mr Rohde.
But let me remind you of one thing: it's not by banning roaming charges
that we create a single market. Quite the opposite: it is by creating a
single market that we will end roaming surcharges. A market where companies
face the same competitive pressure to push down roaming prices as they do
at home on their own network. A market where they can attract and keep
customers by adding roaming to the competitive bundles they offer. A market
where consumers enjoy choice and competition, not borders and barriers.

That is how I want to turn today's fragmented reality into a true
competitive single market.

This fragmentation isn't about some breach of EU dogma: it has real
consequences. To take just one example: spectrum. Countries are not
following their obligations to assign spectrum. But even when it is assigned,
each does it differently: so it's harder to bid, plan, and offer services
across borders.

Harder for manufacturers to optimise their new gadgets for Europe. Harder
for business to benefit from single market economies of scale.

Uncertainties and costs faced by operators are passed on to consumers:
meaning higher prices, and poorer service. European manufacturers, who once
led the world, today struggle to compete.

This isn't just about one sector. Nor just about phones and tablets. Not
any more. Soon all sorts of devices could be connected – from your car to
your health device. There's a massive opportunity for people to enjoy
pan-European services that work widely: but they're still waiting.

I'm not just looking at one sector: I'm looking at the whole picture. The
European telecoms sector and ICT ecosystem are keystones of our economy –
and I'd like to see them stronger. A strong telecom sector that stands up
for itself in a competitive market. Less reliant on regulation. But not for
their sake: this is in everyone's interest.

The fact is, the whole economy is relying on digital tools and networks.
Sectors from banking to logistics, automotive to audiovisual. And, beyond
that: all kinds of companies are crying out for the connectivity that could
transform their business: from videoconferencing to cloud computing to 3D
printing. Companies of every size in every sector. They are fed up with not
having them.

We cannot leave them stranded. They have European ambitions: we cannot
leave them without the communications to match. In an economy relying on
information and communication, we cannot sit by while the telecoms sector
becomes too weak to compete, invest and innovate. We cannot continue to
struggle by with poor, ageing networks.

This matters. The boost from a competitive single market in
telecommunications could be 110 billion euros a year. Quality
communications for business could be worth 800 billion over 15 years.
Broadband could create 2 million jobs. This is investing in tomorrow's
growth.

My ambition is large-scale: but my approach is pragmatic. Today our
networks and regulations are largely national. A pragmatic approach is not
about digging up those networks, tearing up those rulebooks, and starting
again from scratch. It's about taking what we have and adapting it;
unblocking the bottlenecks, bringing down the barriers. Giving operators,
businesses and citizens the single market boost; better services, faster
networks, fairer prices.

I know that you have just been discussing a longer term option: a more
comprehensive review of the entire ecosystem, as proposed in Mrs
Trautmann's report. And I can see the attraction of that. But here's my
advice: let's not miss this opportunity to make a real difference to growth
and employment.

Realistically, a full review would take 5 years. That is a long time to
wait. And these days, lost time means lost opportunity. Think how the world
has changed in the last five years – the devices you didn't have, the
services that didn't exist. Think how the world will change in the next
five. Then think if we can afford to wait that long, while other parts of
the world race ahead.

Instead, I am putting forward an incremental but immediate approach:
improving the model, to get the best out of the current framework. Taking a
significant step towards a single market where technology and service
convergence are part of the new reality. Where an updated regulatory
framework takes account of these dynamic changes, and where we can take the
time to reflect on and then implement the regulatory framework we need for
the future.

But first, let's get the telecoms single market right. Let's get it working
for Europe.

That's my alternative. And I am giving you, this current Parliament, a
chance: to offer more immediate benefits to our people and our economy.
Fewer barriers, more choice, fairer prices, better business services, net
neutrality, an end to roaming; a stronger economy creating more jobs.
That’s the benefits of a connected, competitive continent. I think it's
worth fighting for. So if you believe in Europe, believe in this: and join
me in that fight.

-- 
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Joly MacFie  218 565 9365 Skype:punkcast
WWWhatsup NYC - http://wwwhatsup.com
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