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Next Generation Access networks in Europe - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 18 September 2008, 15:13 CET

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the regulatory principles to be applied by EU Member States to Next Generation Access broadband networks (NGA). NGA optical fibre-based networks enable bitrates several times higher than those currently available on traditional copper wire networks. NGAs are required to deliver high-definition content (such as high definition television) and interactive applications. The objective of a common regulatory framework for NGA is to foster a consistent treatment of operators in the EU and thereby ensure the necessary regulatory predictability to invest. The Commission is consulting on the basis of a draft Recommendation, addressed to the regulators in the 27 EU Member States and suggesting definitions for harmonized categories of regulated services, access conditions, rates of return and appropriate risk premiums. The public consultation will be open until 14th November 2008. The Commission will then finalise the Recommendation in the light of comments received and formally adopt it in 2009.

Mobile Satellite Services in Europe - briefing by EUbusiness — last modified 08 April 2010, 11:00 CET

A competition for providers of communication services via satellite across Europe was launched on 7 August by the European Commission. Satellite operators will for the first time be able to offer services such as high speed data, mobile TV, disaster relief and remote medical services under a single European selection procedure instead of under 27 different national systems. This is made possible by a new EU decision on mobile satellite services that entered into force this July. Mobile satellite systems use radio spectrum to provide services between a mobile earth station and one or more stations either in space or on the ground at fixed locations. They have the capability to cover a large territory and reach areas where such services were economically unviable before. The new European selection procedure could allow companies to offer innovative wireless services throughout Europe over a specifically reserved spectrum as of 2009.

EU crackdown of ringtone scams - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 17 July 2008, 16:15 CET

The European Commission announced on 17 July the results of an EU-wide investigation into websites offering mobile phone services such as ring-tones and wallpapers. The enquiry, which was carried out on more than 500 websites across the 27 EU Member States, Norway and Iceland, found that 80% of the sites checked need to be further investigated for suspected breaches of EU consumer rules. Many of the websites target children and young people. Problems found included: unclear price information where prices are incomplete did not include taxes or customers are unaware that they are signing up to a subscription. Large numbers of websites do not provide some of the required contact information about the trader. Other problems relate to misleading information where key information is hidden in very small print or hard to find on a website or the word "free" is used to mislead consumers into a long-term contracts. The breaches vary in the degree of seriousness. More than 495 million mobile phones are owned by Europeans. Ring-tones alone were estimated to make up 29% of the overall "mobile content" market in Europe in 2007 (about 10% higher than 2006). The value of European ring-tone sales in 2007 was estimated at EUR 691 million. Seven countries Norway, Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Iceland, Romania, Greece) are publishing the names of the websites which they found to have irregularities.

High price of SMS & data roaming in the EU - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 15 July 2008, 12:50 CET

The 2.5 billion text messages sent every year by roaming customers in the EU cost over 10 times more than domestic short messages (SMS), show figures released on 15 July by the European Commission. The average cost of a roaming text message in the EU between October 2007 and March 2008 was EUR 0.29 according to the European Regulators’ Group (ERG), but can be as high as EUR 0.80 for travellers from Belgium. Calls on the industry for self-regulation and voluntary reductions of roaming prices for text messages have not been answered. The Commission therefore says it will start working on measures to ensure that consumers benefit from a truly single market for mobile text services. The Commission will also seek to put an end to "bill shocks" that can hit roaming customers using a mobile connection to surf the Internet. New measures could be proposed by the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council in early autumn.

EU Roaming Regulation - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 02 July 2008, 13:07 CET

30 June 2008 was the anniversary of the EU Roaming Regulation, which entered into force on 30 June 2007. Since then, the introduction of the Eurotariff has led to savings of up to 60% for consumers using their mobile phone to make and receive calls abroad within the EU (roaming). They will benefit from further reductions by 30 August as prices will be capped at €0.46 for making calls and €0.22 for receiving calls for the coming year. The European Commission is now assessing whether there have been satisfactory developments in the prices of data roaming (including SMS and MMS) before deciding on whether the Regulation needs to be extended to also cover these services. A deadline set by Commissioner Reding in February to the mobile industry for voluntary reductions of roaming prices for text messages and mobile data services expires today, close of business.

Mobile phone termination rates - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 26 June 2008, 16:27 CET

With the aim of spurring competition among operators and lower phone charges for European consumers, the European Commission on 26 June 2008 started a public consultation on the future regulation of "voice call termination rates" in the EU based on a draft Commission Recommendation on termination rates. Voice call termination rates are the wholesale tariffs charged by the operator of a customer receiving a phone call to the operator of the caller's network. Included in everyone's phone bill, and therefore eventually paid by the consumer, these tariffs are determined by the intervention of national telecoms regulators. At the moment the decisions of the national telecoms regulators result in very divergent rates across the EU. Mobile termination rates range from EUR 0.02/min (in Cyprus) to over EUR 0.18/min (in Bulgaria) and are 9 times higher than fixed line termination rates (on average EUR 0.0057/min for local call termination). This distorts competition between operators from different countries and between fixed line and mobile phone operators. The public consultation on this proposal will be open until 3 September 2008.

13th Progress Report on the Single European Telecoms Market 2007 - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 20 March 2008, 14:00 CET

Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden are world leaders in broadband deployment with penetration rates over 30 per cent at the end of 2007, says the European Commission’s 13th Progress Report on the Single Telecoms Market issued on 19 March 2008. These EU countries, together with the United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg and France, all had broadband penetration rates higher than the US (22.1 per cent) in July 2007. 19 million broadband lines were added in the EU in 2007, the equivalent of more than 50,000 households every day. The broadband sector generated estimated revenues of EUR 62 billion and Europe’s overall penetration reached 20 per cent. However, there is considerable scope for further consumer benefits from a reinforced single market, strengthened competition and reduced regulatory burden for market players.

Infringement proceedings under EU telecoms rules - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 31 January 2008, 17:20 CET

The European Commission's new round of infringement proceedings under the EU telecoms rules: What are the issues?

EU Telecoms: Article 7 procedure, role of Commission and impact of the EU Telecoms Reform - guide by EUbusiness — last modified 13 November 2007, 19:19 CET

The European Court of Auditors' 2006 Annual Report, punlished on 13 November 2007, identified some improvements, particularly in agricultural spending, although errors of legality and regularity still persist in the majority of EU expenditure due to weaknesses in internal control systems both at the European Commission and in EU Member States.

EU Telecoms Reform package 2007 - Frequently Asked Questions by EUbusiness — last modified 13 November 2007, 19:25 CET

The European Commission on 13 November 2007 adopted proposals for a reform of the EU telecoms rules. With the reform, the Commission wants to enable citizens, wherever they live and wherever they travel in the EU, to benefit from better and cheaper communication services, whether they use mobile phones, fast broadband internet connections or cable TV. To achieve this, the Commission proposes strengthening consumer rights; giving consumers more choice by reinforcing competition between telecoms operators; promoting investment into new communication infrastructures, in particular by freeing radio spectrum for wireless broadband services; and making communication networks more reliable and more secure, especially in case of viruses and other cyber-attacks. A new European Telecom Market Authority will support the Commission and national telecoms regulators in ensuring that market rules and consumer regulation are applied consistently, independently and without protectionism in all 27 EU Member States. To become law, the Commission proposals will now need to be approved by the European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers.

Revision of the EU Financial Framework 2007-2013 - Q&A by EUbusiness — last modified 19 September 2007, 15:03 CET

The European Commission on 19 September adopted a Communication to ensure that the European satellite radionavigation programmes (EGNOS and Galileo) continue, together with an amended Regulation on the funding of the programmes. The proposal provides for the deployment phase of Galileo to be funded entirely from the Community budget to ensure that the project continues.

EU Strategy for Mobile TV - Frequently Asked Questions by EUbusiness — last modified 18 July 2007, 14:00 CET

The convergence of broadcasting, telecommunications and the Internet is creating exciting new opportunities for consumers. The European Commission is strongly committed to the success of Mobile TV and presented today in Brussels its "Communication on Strengthening the Internal Market for Mobile TV". This Commission Communication is the blueprint for a European strategy for mobile TV and identifies the key success factors in this promising industry.

Commission anti-trust decision against Telefonica - frequently asked questions by EUbusiness — last modified 04 July 2007, 11:54 CET

European Commission fine of EUR 151 million against Spanish telecom group Telefonica.

International Mobile Roaming : how will new 'Eurotariffs' reduce cost of using a mobile phone in the European Union? by EUbusiness — last modified 25 October 2007, 10:38 CET

The European Union (EU) Regulation on international mobile roaming comes into force in the 27 EU Member States at the end of this week, meaning that consumers will be able to benefit from “Eurotariff” rates from August 2007.

.eu one year on - questions & answers by EUbusiness — last modified 12 April 2007, 22:10 CET

This April 2007, Europe's internet domain .eu celebrates its first year of being open to the public. Over 2.5 million domain names have been registered. This enormous number of active users makes .eu Europe's third most popular top level domain (TLD) and the seventh most popular worldwide. With a 17% increase of registrations over the past five months, .eu is also one of the fastest growing TLD names on the web. According to a recent Europe-wide study, use of the .eu has proved particularly effective for small businesses.