Brussels, 29/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - Should the obligations provided for in the 2002 directive be extended to include mobile telephony and broadband internet access? A European Commission report, published on Thursday 25 September, tries to bring an answer to that question. While the response to extending universal service obligations to mobile telephony is a clearly no, with the market very adequately providing general coverage for all citizens with subscriptions currently running at a rate of 112%, the issue remains open with regard to broadband. Allowing all citizens access to broadband is a priority for the Commission which wants 100% coverage by 2010, given the increased importance of broadband in daily life. “High-speed internet is the passport to the Information Society and an essential condition for economic growth. This is why it is this Commission's policy to make broadband internet for all Europeans happen by 2010,” said EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding. Much remains to be done, however, if everyone in all regions is to be connected. In 2007, 36% of households used broadband, three times more than in 2003. However, 7% of the EU population are still not connected (30% in rural areas). There are striking gaps in the EU: 100% of the population is covered in Denmark, Luxembourg and Belgium, but more than 60% in Romania (75% in rural areas) do not have broadband access. Even in strong economies, such as Italy and Germany, 18% and 12% respectively of the rural population are not covered.
The Commission report shows that competitive broadband markets are providing EU citizens widespread and affordable access. The Commission is hoping for great things from the reform of radio spectrum management which is seeking to free up frequencies for new wireless services. In its vote on the Telecoms package on 24 September, the European Parliament again said that there had to be more rational use made of the spectrum. If the Council goes in the same direction as the EP (it is due to formulate its position on 27 November), the digital dividend (radiofrequencies made available by the shift from analogue to digital television) could be used for new broadband wireless services, the Commission hopes.
The report is available at the following address: http: //ec.europa.eu/information_society/policy/ ecomm/current/consumer_rights/universal_service/index_en.htm (I.L./transl.rt)