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Study: Telcos essential role in keeping Europe’s networks secure

October 8, 2025

Telecom networks are the invisible backbone of Europe’s digital society. They power daily communications, online banking and commerce, enable critical sectors like healthcare, energy and transport, and guarantee that emergency services remain accessible at all times. Without them, Europe’s economy, public services and democratic life would grind to a halt. Protecting these vital infrastructures is therefore not just a technical necessity – it is a cornerstone of Europe’s security and resilience.

A study by Copenhagen Economics, commissioned by Connect Europe, shows that Europe’s telecom operators have already embedded advanced security and resilience measures in their daily operations. However, as threats evolve and expectations rise, further investment will likely be needed in the coming years.

Networks under pressure, but resilience is improving

Telecom operators must withstand risks ranging from cyberattacks and human error to natural disasters and supply-chain failures. According to ENISA, 188 major incidents in 2023 caused 1.7 billion hours of lost connectivity for users. Despite this, evidence suggests that resilience has strengthened: in 2024, despite a record number of incidents, lost user hours fell by 55 per cent compared to 2023. This progress may reflect stronger outage management, more robust infrastructure, and heightened system resilience.

Meanwhile, NATO’s recent commitment for allies to spend up to 1.5 per cent of GDP on protecting critical infrastructure underscores the strategic importance of secure and resilient telecom networks for Europe’s future.

A call for policy action

The study identifies several structural and operational challenges, and suggests targeted policy actions to further strengthen security and resilience:

  • Support investment in security and resilience through appropriate policy frameworks that address financial pressures, by considering their role in merger assessments where relevant, and by providing public support when public interests exceed commercial considerations.
  • Streamline regulation to eliminate duplication and overlaps across EU and national security frameworks, so that operators can focus resources on protection rather than bureaucracy.
  • Address the skills gap through a forward-looking EU cybersecurity skills strategy, ensuring that Europe can count on the talent required to sustain long-term network security.
Alessandro Gropelli, Director General of Connect Europe, commented: “Dramatically improving the investment environment for connectivity is critical for telecom operators to further boost security and resilience. An ambitious Digital Networks Act can play a major role not only in making Europe more competitive, but also more secure.”

Neil Gallagher, Director at Copenhagen Economics, added: “Secure and resilient telecom networks are crucial to ensuring seamless access to digital services, protecting personal and sensitive information, and enabling critical sectors. In this study, we shed light on the complex risk landscape that operators must navigate, and the comprehensive set of security and resilience measures that telecom operators engage in. We also identify actions that policymakers can take to support continued security and resilience.”

Categories: Articles, Broadband, Research, Telco

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