ECTA welcomes Commission state aid rules on high speed broadband
Sees enhanced role for Governments to promote open and future
Brussels, 17 September 2009 – ECTA welcomes the Commission’s new rules on state aid for fibre networks. As old copper lines are being replaced with fibre networks allowing unlimited speeds and a plethora of new, yet unimaginable services clarification of state aid rules is vital.
State aid rules should ensure that tax payers’ money is spent on networks that will last for the next 50 years. Choosing the right technology now is important to guarantee for all users choice, competitive prices and ever increasing bandwidth and new services.
Given long payback periods, in some cases the state may be the only party that can realistically support investment in expensive networks that meet Europe’s long term needs.
Innocenzo Genna, ECTA’s Chairman said: “We have a real opportunity to make Europe a world leader in online services. But that requires the right infrastructure and long term thinking. Governments can and should set standards for future-proof and open networks, wherever the market is not delivering.”
“It is important to target investment carefully however,” Genna continued. “In areas where operators are already installing open infrastructures which enable competitive services the state should not duplicate that investment. Private and public investment should complement each other, so that everyone has access to advanced internet services on competitive
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For further information (not for publication):
Ms Sam Rowe
Cutsforth Consulting Services
Avenue des Saisons 62
1050 Brussels
+32 475 361286
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About ECTA
The European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA) looks after the regulatory and commercial interests of new entrant telecoms operators, ISPs and suppliers of products and services to the communications industry.
ECTA works for a fair regulatory environment that allows all electronic communications providers to compete on level terms in order to multiply investment and innovation throughout an effective European internal market. The association represents the telecommunications industry to key government and regulatory bodies and maintains a forum for networking and business development.
ECTA member companies include operators, service providers and suppliers as well as National Associations of such which all contribute towards regulatory policy development and participate in our comprehensive range of networking events, conferences, seminars, briefings and executive meetings.
