ECTA - GUARDED WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION'S FRAMEWORK FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Proof of success will be in reducing incumbent dominance

Brussels, 28 June 2006 - The European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA) today welcomed Commissioner Reding's proposal to strengthen competition in the telecoms sector. In particular, ECTA welcomed the debates on separating incumbents infrastructure and services businesses and on broadening the availability of radio spectrum. However, ECTA cautioned that the proposals to reduce regulation in the retail sector before competition is sustainable could back-fire.

BROADBAND STUDY HIGHLIGHTS TWO-SPEED EUROPE

New member states slow in applying broadband access measures to support competition

New member states, which have yet to apply effective access measures, are falling behind in broadband adoption creating a two-speed Europe, the latest Broadband Scorecard shows. ECTA's quarterly report, which tracks broadband competition and take-up across the EU, finds that in January 2006 broadband take-up was just 2.4% in Slovakia and 2.6% in Poland compared with 13.3% in Estonia and 12.8% in Malta the highest performing of the new member states.

VDSL MONOPOLY THREAT TO BROADBAND IN GERMANY

ECTA calls on regulator to ensure effective access

Brussels, 8 June 2006 - Germany's growth in broadband penetration, which currently stands at 14% and at the low end of the European Broadband League, could be in serious jeopardy if both the German government and telecoms regulator give in to the request from the incumbent, Deutsche Telekom, for a regulatory holiday on high-speed services based on vDSL technology, the European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA) warned today.

We are pleased to announce the launch of the ECTA Regulatory Review 2005 which summarises key highlights and regulatory achievements of ECTA and its working groups during 2005.

ECTA DELEGATION MEETS EC PRESIDENT

CEOs from a number of ECTA's members met on 29 March 2006 with Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission and DG Information Society Commissioner, Viviane Reding. They discussed issues relating to the 2006 Review of the EU Telecoms Framework and their practical experience of operating across a range of countries.

The business leaders emphasised the need for effective regulation to overcome competitive bottlenecks in the telecoms sector and drive investment and innovation. Further details are provided in the press release issued following the meeting.

LACK OF COMPETITIVENSS HAS COST EUROPE 20 MILLION BROADBAND LINES, STUDY FINDS

A report published today by a leading economics consultancy has concluded that Europe could gain an additional 20 million broadband lines if regulators take action to increase competition.

In Broadband in the EU: the importance of dynamic competition to broadband growth, SPC Network examined broadband take-up and the intensity of competition across 21 countries as reported in ECTA's quarterly Broadband Scorecard. The study found that the adoption of broadband accelerates when the market opens up and more choice is made available for users.

INTERNATIONAL ROAMING: ECTA SUPPORTS COMMISSIONER REDING

BRUSSELS – ECTA supports EU Commissioner Viviane Reding’s proposal to introduce EU Regulation with direct effect to counter excessive international roaming charges.

ECTA concurs with Commissioner Reding that despite numerous initiatives on a national and European level, customers continue to pay unjustifiably high international roaming charges. Lack of price-transparency continues to be a major problem for consumers and business users.

Click here for full details of press release

EUROPE'S STARK CHOICE: OPEN MARKETS OR STAGNATION

Member States taken to task for depriving their markets of further investment by protecting monopolies; Call for competition to remain at the heart of the 2006 Telecoms review

Brussels, 2 December 2005 - A new Jones Day and SPC Network study finds that investment in the EU telecoms sector could be put at risk if governments and regulators allow historic telecoms monopolies to re-establish their grip on the market. The Regulatory Scorecard, commissioned by ECTA, concludes that across 16 EU countries, investment in telecoms has suffered where regulation has failed to tackle dominant companies, whilst countries that have opened their markets to competition by imposing effective regulation have stormed ahead.

EU E-COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY REGRETS TODAY EP VOTE, PUTTING EUROPE'S COMPETITIVENESS AND INFORMATION SOCIETY AT STAKE

Brussels – E-communications services providers, through their trade associations, regret that members of the European Parliament did not support the amendments of theParliament’s own Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee by rejecting the Report of Mr. Alvaro MEP. In doing so, the Parliament has failed to take the opportunity to rectify a text that still raises major concerns about the technical feasibility and proportionality of proposed measures. Furthermore, despite strong protestations from MEPs that any Directive must aim towards a harmonisation of data retention measures, the text adopted today provides very little harmonisation.

E-COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE PROVIDERS CALL FOR FURTHER DIALOGUE ON DATA RETENTION AT EU LEVEL

Newcastle - Europe's e-communications service providers called upon EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers to pursue an open consultation with the industry before adopting any mandatory data retention measures.  Newcastle - Europe's e-communications service providers called upon EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers to pursue an open consultation with the industry before adopting any mandatory data retention measures.  Newcastle - Europe's e-communications service providers called upon EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers to pursue an open consultation with the industry before adopting any mandatory data retention measures.