Introduction:

The creation of a digital society is at the heart of the European Commission’s EU 2020 strategy for the future, both as a key element in economic recovery and as a long term objective. To achieve a digital society European and national policies need to ensure that all citizens have access to very high speed Internet services and also to make sure that consumers and businesses actively use these services. European policy makers will need to find smart ways to stimulate investment in a high speed internet for the benefit of Europe’s economy, businesses and citizens.  What national strategies have been put in place to ensure Universal coverage? What is the role of mobile broadband in achieving this?  How will the regulation of fibre access networks influence market results? How have existing regulatory approaches to NGA affected the level of fibre investment, end-user prices and take-up? Join us to debate and discuss the issues...

Speakers include:

• Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne, Belgian Ministry of Economics and Belgian EU Presidency 2010
• Francisco Ros, Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Information Society, Spanish EU Presidency 2010
• Silvana-Adriana Ticau MEP, Member S&D Party, European Parliament
• Malcolm Harbour MEP, Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee Chairman
• John Doherty. Chair, BEREC 2010 and ComReg Commissioner
• Roberto Viola, Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) 2010 Chairman and Secretary General, AGCOM
• Lena Hägglöf, Director of ICT Policy, Swedish Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications
• Ruprecht Niepold, Radio Spectrum Policy Adviser, Directorate General Information Society and Media, European Commission
• Jan Trionow, CTO, Hutchison 3G Austria GmbH
• Dr Karl-Heinz Neumann, Director and General Manager, WIK Consult GmbH
• Richard Feasey, Public Policy Director, Vodafone

Topics will cover ...

Strategies for achieving Universal Coverage
How should the Commission and Governments best promote Universal Coverage of broadband?

Convergence and the role of mobile broadband
To what extent is mobile broadband a complement or substitute for fixed services and what part can it play in achieving Universal Service?

Regulating Next Generation Access: Current approaches and market outcomes
With the forthcoming European Digital Agenda and Commission’s NGA recommendations, what are the right approaches to NGA regulation and how should investment in higher speed broadband best be stimulated?