Brussels, 18/11/2014 (Agence Europe) - Finding a balance between returns on investment for the operators and choices for consumers so that each and every European can be “digital” no matter where he/she is or the circumstances “will be a major challenge of my mandate”, stated Digital Society Commissioner Günther Oettinger in his blog on Friday 14 November. High-speed internet is key to economic prosperity and employment but many Europeans still have no access to broadband, particularly in rural areas where more than 4 homes in five does not have fast coverage. Recalling one of the targets set by the European Commission - that every citizen across the EU should have fast broadband coverage by 2020 - Oettinger highlights the investment of tens of billions of euros that companies will have to make if this is to be achieved.
While consumers must have more flexible contracts so that they do not find themselves “locked in” to one supplier, operators need a greater degree of certainty that the investments they make in new generation networks will bring increased revenues. Comparing telecoms networks with the energy sector's “new pipelines”, the commissioner suggests that telecoms companies might, just like energy firms which have built new networks, be exempted from providing competitors with access to their infrastructure. “This is only given if they can convince the EU Commission that without the exemption the investment would not have been made”, he points out however. “We need new, fresh ideas and open discussions without 'taboos'. Hence my idea to incentivise investment in rural areas by allowing telcos to reap the benefit of their investments”, he argues. (IL)