Mobile industry group the GSMA has joined operators and other lobby groups in broadly welcoming the European Commission’s Digital Single Market strategy plan launched on 06 May, saying it set out the right priorities and objectives to encourage the significant digital network investment required. However, VP of GSMA Europe Afke Schaart called on the EC to urgently press ahead with the promised telecom review “ideally this year”, and to take rapid action to bring about a fair and competitive EU telecom policy framework.
Referring to the 16 proposals contained in the EC’s strategy launched by digital single market vice president Andrus Ansip, the GSMA underlined that swift action was needed. “The vice president has prioritised key areas and we now call on him to do the same for the digital networks that will underpin the digital single market strategy by making an equally clear and unambiguous statement about investment and recognising the urgency of regulatory change by bringing forward the start of the telecom framework review,” said Schaart.
Schaart went on to stress that investment was key to bringing about the Digital Single Market, saying the EUR 155 billion invested by mobile network operators in the previous seven years had made a material difference to Europe’s economy and society. “If we are to achieve the EUR 340 billion additional GDP per year that the Commission estimates would be delivered by a full Digital Single Market, we need a step change in digital network investment. To encourage and support that investment, the regulatory framework needs to be modernised as a matter of urgency,” he said.
