Mobile Meeting For European Wireless Leaders
The European mobile market is set to receive a boost following a meeting between the European Commission and GSM Europe, the regional interest group of the GSM Association (GSMA).
The meeting took the form of a high level roundtable discussion between the European Commission, CEOs and senior directors from Europe’s leading mobile operators.
Held yesterday in Brussels, the roundtable was attended by 18 of Europe’s leading mobile network operators. Discussions focused on crucial industry issues such as infrastructure sharing, spectrum management, licence conditions, network rollout, M-Commerce, new services and applications and
also on the ways in which the Commission can help support the industry to launch future 3G networks and services.
Importantly, the meeting also addressed key aspects of the EU’s eEurope Action Plan which recognises that 3G communications is essential in eEurope, in order to create a real and workable broadband information society with
innovative services available for anyone, anywhere, anytime! This vision is also shared by Europe’s mobile industry.
Commissioner Erkki Liikanen, responsible for Enterprise and Information Society stated: “I continue to believe that 3G is an essential building block of the broadband wireless Information Society and that its success is essential to achieve the Commission policy objectives of an Information Society for all. A significant step in this direction was taken by the recent adoption of a lighter new regulatory regime. I welcome the roundtable initiative with GSM Europe and today’s discussions, which have provided a solid basis for a successful launch of 3G services in the very near future.“
He adds, “The mobile industry is rightly seen as a European success story. The challenge for us all - the Commission, Regulators, Governments and the wireless industry - is to ensure its continued development and leadership. It is particularly important to fully realise the benefits of the new communications regulatory package. This package has been designed to reduce red tape; it offers technology-neutrality, is flexible and will pave the way for a more level playing field for telecoms in Europe. In addition, other actions - such as pilots and R&D have been launched with the intention to stimulate the development of new services, applications and content.”
GSM Association CEO, Rob Conway, comments: “Against a backdrop of investor pressure and increasing regulatory constraints, the operator community has continued to rise to commercial and operational challenges, developing
networks and innovative services to benefit and support Europe’s economic and social communities.”
“It is vital, however, that telecoms policy and the new regulatory framework recognises and addresses these challenges, encouraging and promoting investment and competition. We are delighted to be working with the
Commission today to examine these issues and to provide essential feedback that will help shape the future of European wireless communications and keep it at the forefront of the global mobile market.”
GSM Europe believes that there are several legislative areas that are critical to the continued growth, evolution and rollout of Europe’s mobile
services. The wireless industry’s leaders used today’s roundtable to
propose a series of key recommendations to the European Commission.
These included, among others:
inappropriate regulation and its over-spill on to new and innovative services, including 3G
actions to support the development of 3G services - as set out in the Commission’s 3G communication (March 2001). It should address these issues at the forthcoming Seville Council (June 2002)
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