The FTTH Council Europe has issued a statement welcoming the Digital Networks Act as put forward by the European Commission.

“The mission of the FTTH Council Europe is to see the widespread availability and use of FTTH in Europe as quickly as possible. It is therefore important to ensure that the regulatory framework incentivises investment and fosters effective competition. These two objectives must remain at the core of any access policy,” said the Council.

The FTTH Council Europe positively welcomes the proposal for the switch-off of copper networks, noting that the process strikes the right balance between the need to incentivise the take-up of future-proof networks, the necessity to consider national specificities, and avoiding unintended consequences for consumers.

“We are convinced that copper switch-off is an important driver for investments and that it will positively contribute to the competitiveness of the EU, supporting the digital transition and the enhancement of the Single Market. Therefore, we invite the co-legislators to support the European Commission approach on this topic,” added the Council.

The FTTH Council Europe further considers that the current regulatory framework has delivered positive outcomes. Maintaining the SMP process in the proposed DNA is central to preserving competition and demonstrates the Commission’s commitment to a stable and predictable regulatory environment. “This is critical to supporting investors and enabling the continued development of sustainable competition, for the benefit of consumers,” stated the Council.

The FTTH Council Europe also notes the proposed harmonised access products but believes that any remedies should start by being tailored to the specific realities of national and market contexts, which can vary significantly between countries and market segments. National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) are best positioned to define, where necessary, appropriate SMP obligations that reflect the unique characteristics of their markets, believes The FTTH Council Europe.

The FTTH Council Europe also acknowledges the provisions on security and resilience in the DNA that recognise the critical importance of communications infrastructure. However, the Council invites the co-legislators to make clear that any obligation that may arise should be adequately supported by national and European resources in the next MFF and not create excessive burdens for a sector that is investing heavily in the achievement of the Digital Decade targets.

“There are other aspects that need refinement, and there are certain issues where the FTTH Council Europe believes a different approach should be taken, not least regarding the availability of licence-free spectrum for RLAN. The FTTH Council Europe looks forward to working constructively with co-legislators to share its insights and experience in refining this proposal,” concluded the council.

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Categories: Articles, Broadband, FTTH, Policy

Tags: Digital Networks Act, dna, FTTH, FTTH Council Europe