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EU: Commission exerting power over struggling telecoms sector

By  |  March 26, 2013

The European Commission has announced a set of new guidelines aimed at reducing costs to build high-speed broadband networks across the continent in a move that reports say showcase the Commission’s efforts to exert more power over the telecommunications market. The move comes just a month after major budget cuts have crippled efforts to expand broadband into more rural areas of the continent. Funding was reduced from $11.8 billion to just $1.3 billion. As the Commission sees telecom operators falling deeper into debt and a slow pace of investment, the authority is reportedly looking to lift up the sector with the new regulations. The draft rules were issued on Tuesday. According to reports, the rules would require any new houses built or renovated homes to be “broadband” ready, among other proposals. Water, electricity and gas firms will also be required to share their underground infrastructure with telecommunications companies in an effort to reduce the costs of digging new networks.

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