Brussels, 04/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - ECTA, the organisation representing the leading challenger telecoms operators across Europe, took part in a working breakfast at the European Parliament on Wednesday 4 February. The event was jointly organised with Adina-Ioana Valean MEP (EPP, Romania) and was attended by MEPs, members of the European Commission and experts.
The aim of the meeting was to discuss the issue of consolidation of the telecoms market and the following questions: is consolidation in the telecoms sector necessary to foster investments and the best way to promote the rollout of new broadband infrastructure maximising benefits for end-users but also ensuring fair returns to investors?
Erzsébet Fitori, director of ECTA, emphasised that all players - big and small - should have the appropriate regulatory incentive to invest in the telecoms networks, by ensuring a fair playing field for competition and an environment that provides opportunities for all businesses and citizens to innovate, compete, invest and receive innovative services.
ECTA has warned against a policy that leads to massive market consolidation, the emergence of three major companies and the disappearance of small operators. ECTA explained that “There is no evidence that massively large operators invest more or become more profitable... Europe needs Davids, who have better ideas, invest more efficiently and innovate to genuinely deliver what end-users want, than yesterday's Goliaths”. Hubertus von Roenne, chairman of ECTA, said regulation should re-focus on competition as the triggering part of a virtuous circle because it pushes companies to be more innovative and efficient and offer services at competitive prices, which generates user demand. He said demand in turn drives more investment and “Competition is the best guarantor that all - end-users and operators alike - can reap the economic benefits of digital innovation”. (IL)