Connectivity Archives

With the publication of its White Paper on digital infrastructure in 2024, the European Commission has finally launched a long-overdue debate on the future of the telecom regulatory framework. EuroISPA has taken an active role in these discussions, committed to shaping an ambitious vision for the sector. Engaging with policymakers to highlight the essential role of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in fostering innovation, resilience, and the twin transition, we reaffirm our dedication to keeping telecom networks at the heart of Europe’s economic and technological leadership.

As we move towards 2030, unlocking the necessary investments to achieve the Digital Decade connectivity targets remains a top priority. To this end, Europe must establish a regulatory framework that incentivises investment, notably through a comprehensive Digital Networks Act, ensuring a robust, sustainable, and competitive telecom ecosystem for the future.

Achieving true internal market integration will largely depend on harmonising and streamlining regulations across multiple areas, including infrastructure investment, spectrum management, and taxation. This also requires assessing the relevance of existing sectoral rules alongside broader horizontal frameworks. The regulation of our sector must adopt a more coordinated approach and foster investment-friendly conditions while preserving effective national frameworks and ensuring fair competition.

Prioritising network sustainability is also crucial to supporting the green transition of our economy. The telecom industry plays a key role in driving sustainability gains across sectors and reducing its own environmental footprint by replacing legacy technology with more energy-efficient infrastructure. The inclusion of connectivity networks in the EU Taxonomy for sustainable finance is a positive step toward securing funding for greener networks. Additionally, engaging with equipment suppliers and digital service providers across the entire value chain will be essential to adopting the most efficient technologies, achieving net-zero emissions, and ensuring optimal network efficiency.

Looking ahead to 2025, we believe the Digital Networks Act must serve as a cornerstone for turning these priorities into concrete action. By simplifying regulation, securing investment, and strengthening network sustainability and security, Europe can build digital infrastructures that are both competitive and future-proof. EuroISPA and its members remain committed to working alongside European stakeholders and institutions to ensure these vital reforms become a reality.

Romain Bonenfant

EuroISPA Board Member

Managing Director of FFTélécoms – Fédération Française des Télécoms

In 2023, the challenges for the connectivity sector in Europe were dramatically highlighted. The European Commission initiated an exploratory consultation, underlining the crucial need to review the existing regulatory framework to attract more investment in infrastructure in response to the profound changes in practices and to the development of innovative technologies, which are affecting the financial balance of the ecosystem.

Very high-capacity networks capable of processing massive amounts of data are needed for the EU to remain competitive, but electronic communications operators today face growing economic pressure. Digital markets are constantly changing, and the need for investment to keep pace with these developments is exploding. For example, incoming mobile traffic in France increased 18-fold between 2012 and 2021 and is expected to further increase 6-fold by 2030. Faced with an expected deficit of nearly 200 billion euros in investments to achieve the connectivity objectives of the Digital Decade by 2030, the industry must be supported by the European Union through a proactive and ambitious policy plan, spreading the investment effort across the entire value chain to ensure the resilience of an essential infrastructure at the heart of our economy.

The Digital Network Act is expected in 2024, as announced by Internal Market Commissioner Breton, who rightly reminded that cutting-edge telecommunications infrastructure is a fundamental pillar for growth, innovation and job creation. Among the priorities there is the need to adapt the regulatory framework to reduce costs and facilitate the rapid deployment of very high-capacity networks. The Gigabit Infrastructure Act proposed by the Commission in February 2023 was a promising start, but its ambition needs to be confirmed in the ongoing negotiations.

Finally, the green transition is affecting all sectors, including connectivity. Telecom operators seek to reach sustainability goals, but the success of these initiatives requires a global commitment towards a more optimised use of networks from the digital sector as a whole.

With the upcoming EU elections, 2024 will be a crucial year to make the connectivity aspirations of the European Union a reality. The announced “connectivity package” could be an essential instrument to overcome the challenges and secure the future of the sector, ensuring the sustainability of our infrastructures for the benefit of European citizens and businesses.

Romain Bonenfant
EuroISPA Board Member
Managing Director, Fédération Française des Télécoms

Tag Archive for: Connectivity

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