ECTA calls for action on excessive wholesale charges for telecoms

Prices need to come down, not increase, if Europe is to achieve its ambitious broadband targets
Latest Eurobarometer survey cites high access prices as a major deterrent to EU citizens getting online

Brussels, 20 October 2010: As the Commission prepares to comment on a proposal by the Italian Regulator, ECTA, the European Competitive Telecommunications Association, fears the wider implications for Europe.

Commissions’ Broadband Package paves the way to a competitive, high-speed digital Europe 
New measures signal an end to "regulatory holidays” for fibre, but the regulated charges for access will be key in determining whether consumers see the benefits 

Brussels, 20 September 2010:  The European Competitive Telecoms Association, ECTA, welcomes the package of measures to boost the coverage and take up of high-speed broadband announced by the European Commission on 20 September.  In particular, the recommendation on Next Generation Access is applauded for confirming the importance of competition in high-speed broadband services by regulating access to "next-generation” fibre networks. ECTA also backs the Commission’s proposals on spectrum which aim to ensure that consumers will have a choice of provider for mobile broadband services

European ICT Industry identifies seven key action areas to fully exploit the potential of the ICT sector for European citizens and businesses
Joint industry contribution to the Spanish Presidency Digital Europe Strategy

Madrid, 18 January 2010: At a meeting held today by the Spanish State Secretariat for Telecommunications and Information Society, leading associations representing the European ICT industry – accounting collectively for more than €700 billion of revenue and 6 million employees – jointly called on EU leaders to take further action in order to enable business and society to fully benefit from ICT in terms of productivity, social welfare and sustainability.

ECTA welcomes Norman Broadbent as new member

London, June, 2010: Norman Broadbent, the leading Executive Search, HR Consultancy and Leadership Consultancy firm has become a member of ECTA, the European Competitive Telecommunications Association. Joining as an ‘Associate’ member, Norman Broadbent wishes to demonstrate its commitment to and expertise in the communications sector and aims to help ECTA members better understand and address the challenges of executive talent acquisition, management and development. Norman Broadbent will pursue three main activities, working closely with ECTA, namely: 

New Report finds competitive telecoms market drives EU economic recoveryEffective regulation and open telecoms market earn the Netherlands top place in telecoms scorecard. Dutch consumers benefit from better services, lower prices and high broadband usage

Brussels, 27 May 2010: Countries with the most effective telecoms regulation have open and competitive markets that foster higher broadband penetration, which generates more jobs and boosts economic growth. National Regulators need to be better equipped to take consistent action, finds the 2010 Regulatory Scorecard published by pro-competition body ECTA.

ECTA welcomes the Commission´s commitment to reinforce the single market and to encourage investment in open and competitive fibre access networks

The pro-competitive body calls for the vigorous application of competition rules to fibre access networks - consumers and businesses will pay a high price if competition rules are relaxed and wholesale pricing flexibility is permitted to dominant telcos

Brussels, 19 May 2010; ECTA strongly supports the Commission’s renewed commitment to reinforce the single market for telecommunications services as outlined in the new European Digital Agenda presented by Commissioner Kroes today. 
“A fully functioning single market would benefit consumers and businesses by bringing wider choice, lower prices and higher broadband speeds” said ECTA Chairman Hubertus von Roenne. 

Europe’s €25bln digital deficit 
Internet speeds four times higher in better regulated markets, study finds Governments must tackle telecoms monopolies for Europe’s recovery, says ECTA

Brussels, 3 March 2010: Consumers and businesses are losing €25bn per year and broadband speeds are being restricted due to uncompetitive telecoms markets, reveals a study on Europe’s Digital Deficit released today.

Hubertus von Roenne elected Chairman of ECTA
Calls for firm measures from President Barroso to secure open pan-EU telecoms market

Brussels, 25 January 2010: The European Competitive Telecoms Association (ECTA) has announced the election of Hubertus von Roenne as chairman of the board of directors for 2010.

New Commission must reinvigorate the single market and strengthen its commitment to competition
ECTA conference debates priorities for the Digital Economy

Brussels, 8 December 2009; Key policy-makers from European Parliament and EU Council Presidency will debate the priorities for the incoming European Commission alongside industry leaders at the 10th annual ECTA conference being held in Brussels today.
The opening session, which features speeches from the Swedish and Spanish Communications Ministers and Pilar del Castillo, the MEP in charge of the Parliament’s report on Europe’s digital agenda, will focus debate on how to ensure a renewed impetus behind liberalized telecoms under the new administration.

The debate is over:  now we expect action
ECTA looks to new Commission to reinvigorate the single market and strengthen its commitment to competition during the next five years

Brussels, 24 November 2009 – As the Telecoms package is approved today in Strasbourg the European Competitive Telecoms Association (ECTA) looks to the newly appointed Commission to reinvigorate the single market for competition and promote a level playing field across the EU27.
The Telecoms Package contains important proposals that confirm Europe’s commitment to open and competitive telecoms markets including the power for regulators to separate dominant firms if they fail to abide by competition rules and a clear signal that fibre networks should be opened for competition.