Transcript Broadband – why it matters?

Inês Nolasco
Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager
European Competitive Telecommunications Association
Outline
Who we are, what we do, our membership
Broadband – why it matters?
Policy Recommendations & competition
The EU BB Strategy – the Digital Agenda for Europe
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European Competitive Telecommunications Association
Leading pan-European telecoms association promoting market liberalisation
and competition in the European communications sector
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European Competitive Telecommunications Association
ECTA represents more than 100
companies, including leaders in
the following market segments
throughout Europe:
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Alternative providers of consumer
broadband and triple-play services
Providers of pan-European/global
services to businesses
Challenger mobile/wireless network
operators and service providers
ECTA holds two annual
Regulatory Conferences each
year. Next one in Nov/Dec 2014.
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Some of our 100+ members
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Broadband- why it matters?
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Broadband – why it matters?
10% increase in broadband penetration could lead to:
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1-1.5% increase in annual GDP
Increase by 1.5% in labour productivity (2012-2017)
(ref. Communication 2012 DAE)
Duplicating broadband speed for an economy can increase
GDP growth by 0.3% on average in OECD countries
(Arthur D. Little & Chalmers University of Technology)
Economic development & growth + achieving the MDGs +
E-health, e-learning, e-Government; m-money
m-commerce
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Broadband & infrastructure
 Broadband: basic, fast (≥30 Mbit/s) & ultra-fast (≥100Mbit/s)
 always-on, high capacity connectivity, combined provision of multiple
services simultaneously
 Underlying infrastructure:
 copper (DSL)
 fibre (Fttx, FTTH PON/P2P, FTTB, FTTC)
 coaxial cable (Docsis 3.0)
 mobile (3G&4G)
 satellite
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Technological choices – Fixed & mobile
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Why does competition matter?
“There is a significant body of evidence to suggest that private and
competitive markets have successfully accelerated service delivery to a
large customer base, boosting market growth, enhancing innovation,
increasing subscriptions and reducing prices” (ITU World Telecommunications
Development Report 2002: Reinventing Telecoms
“There is a strong role for competition in boosting broadband
penetration. Based on panel regressions of broadband penetration for
165 countries for ten years between 2001-2011, competitive markets
are associated with broadband penetration levels some 1.4% higher on
average for fixed broadband and up to 26.5% higher for mobile
broadband. Competition has been a key driver for higher levels of
uptake and investment in communications networks and services in
many countries. Countries should implement pro-competitive
regulation” (The State of Broadband 2013: Universalizing Broadband)
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Policy recommendations to maximize the impact
of broadband – Broadband Commission
 Promote market liberalization - competition & broadband penetration
 Review & update regulatory obligations - legal certainty, avoid radical changes, innovation,
return on investment, national BB goals
 Consider open access approaches to infrastructure - access on fair, reasonable and
equivalent terms – LLU, WBA, ducts,…)
 Introduce and develop a National Broadband Plan - higher fixed & mobile BB
penetration; demand and supply side; reviewed regularly
 Update and utilize Universal service funds (USF) – where commercial provision not viable
 Review licensing schemes – simplified licensing
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Policy recommendations to maximize the impact
of broadband – Broadband Commission
 Review and reduce taxation – tax reduction & incentives
 Review policy frameworks for spectrum – harmonisation & release of spectrum for
mobile BB
 Spur demand and introduce measures to stimulate the creation of local
content
 Support accurate and timely statistical monitoring
 Consider undertaking public consultations on policy
2011: 4 targets for tracking universal access to BB and digital inclusion
for all
 Target 1: making BB policy universal (2015 – NBP, strategy or include BB in UAS)
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Status of National Broadband Plans, mid-2013
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Regulatory Database.
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Targets & policy instruments
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The EU experience – the Digital Agenda for
Europe
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The Digital Agenda for Europe (2010)
 The first of seven flagship initiatives under the Europe
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2020 strategy.
Aims to reboot Europe's economy and help Europe's
citizens and businesses to get the most out of digital
technologies
Maximise the social and economic potential of ICT,
most notably the internet (fast and ultra-fast BB)
Contains 13 specific goals. Progress measured in the
annual Digital Agenda Scoreboard.
Reviewed in 2012 (e.g. create a stable regulatory
environment; Connecting Europe Facility Loans)
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Broadband targets
Coverage
 BB for all by 2013
 Fast-BB (≥ 30 Mbps) for
all by 2020
Take-up
 50% HH subscribing to
≥ 100 Mbps by 2020
Technology neutrality
*Headline or actual
speed? Upload?
Quality? Openness?
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Some regulatory tools & instruments
Broadband
communication
(2010)
Legislative proposal to
reduce the costs of
broadband
deployment
(Directive) (2013)
NGA
Recommendation
(2010)
Costing & Nondiscrimination
Recommendation
(2013)
EU funding for
Broadband
Radio Spectrum
Policy Programme
(2012)
State Aid
Broadband
Guidelines
(2009/2013)
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Thank you for your attention
[email protected]
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Background slides
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Broadband coverage @ EU level
Nearly all EU HH (210m) had
access to a standard broadband
service through fixed or mobile
technologies.
Nearly 54% of EU households
(113m) already had NGA services
available capable of delivering
≥ 30Mbps
Less than 1% of HH could only
access standard broadband
services through satellite
broadband.
More than 95% HH could access
at least one fixed standard
broadband service, implying
that 4% could only access
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mobile broadband services.
Broadband coverage @ EU level
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Fixed & mobile broadband penetration @ EU
level
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