TelecomTV TelecomTV
  • News
  • Videos
  • Channels
  • Events
  • Network Partners
  • Industry Insights
  • Directory
  • Newsletters
  • Open RAN
  • Digital Platforms and Services
  • 5G
  • Access Evolution
  • Private Networks
  • Cloud Native
  • Edge
  • Open Networking
  • Sustainability
  • AI, Analytics and Automation
  • 6G Research and Innovation
  • Security
  • More Topics
  • Network Partners
  • Industry Insights
  • Directory
  • Newsletters
  • |
  • About
  • Contact
  • |
  • Connect with us
  • 5G
  • 6G Research and Innovation
  • Access Evolution
  • AI, Analytics and Automation
  • Cloud Native
  • Digital Platforms and Services
  • Edge
  • Open Networking
  • Open RAN
  • Private Networks
  • Security
  • Sustainability
  • Connect with TelecomTV
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Sign In Register Subscribe
    • Subscribe
    • Sign In
    • Register
  • Search

News

News

My way or the highway: Neelie Kroes goes retro

Dec 5, 2013

Like all such efforts (remember the Telecoms Package about 3 years back?) the Telecoms Regulation is being flagged as a make or break moment for European telecoms. The train is leaving the station etc..., not to move will see Europe fall further behind…, and so on. And Kroes has pulled together her own little film, created by film director/producer David Putnam, to confuse the issues, or at the very least reduce them down. They should have called it My way or the Highway… view it here.

Apparently Kroes wanted to screen it to the parliamentarians to push her case, but this was disallowed as it’s against the usual proceedure (I don’t blame them - where would it end?).

Essentially Kroes wants her legacy to be ‘the politician who finally kicked a single market in telecoms into place’ and she’s convinced that a single market should involve a less ‘fragmented’ provider landscape - or at least that’s what she’s been told. So as she herself says in today’s speech to the European Competitive Telecommunication Association (ECTA) she sees her task as, “Focusing on the barriers that stop the market from developing right, now. Giving that market a push in the right direction, now.”

Surely a free and open market doesn’t have a ‘right’ direction. Isn’t that its value? Doesn’t it consists of lots of players, all working with different ideas, different directions, and through that and judicious regulation to keep them in line, we get surprising and innovative business models and live happily ever after. Oh well.

Instead Kroes’ approach seems to be to tilt the market in favour of the big, existing players who can consolidate the fragmentation and form a European oligarchy to complete the single market.

And what of ‘competition’ and competitive operators? Also in her speech Kroes says, “Challenger and alternative operators have long been valuable guarantors of competition. I don't intend to change that.” I think that’s quite revealing. In other words, new business models will be allowed so they can keep traditional operators on their toes, but not to replace them. If I was a competitive or challenger operator this would hardly fill me with joy, but at least I’d know my place.

It’s going to be an interesting fight.

Related Topics
  • Analysis & Opinion,
  • News

More Like This

Digital Platforms & Services

What’s up with… Colt, 5G’s impact on GDP, Cisco

Aug 18, 2022

5G

Satellite firm’s 5G-based ‘one global network’ dream gets closer to reality

Aug 18, 2022

Security

Big trouble in little islands

Aug 18, 2022

Open RAN

Mavenir takes out $95m loan as radio R&D costs ramp up

Aug 18, 2022

5G

What’s up with… China Telecom, 5G in Malaysia, Verizon Business

Aug 17, 2022

Email Newsletters

Stay up to date with the latest industry developments: sign up to receive TelecomTV's top news and videos plus exclusive subscriber-only content direct to your inbox – including our daily news briefing and weekly wrap.

Subscribe

Top Picks

Highlights of our content from across TelecomTV today

0:46

The Cloud Native Telco Summit returns this September!

8:32

Azita Arvani on Being a Female Leader at Rakuten Symphony

16:19

AT&T Amy Zwarico on securing telco applications in the public cloud

1:44

Join us for the greatest industry debate of the year!

TelecomTV
Company
  • About Us
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
Our Brands
  • DSP Leaders World Forum
  • Great Telco Debate
  • TelecomTV Events
Get In Touch
[email protected]
+44 (0) 207 448 1070
Connect With Us
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Terms of Use
  • Legal Notices
  • Help

TelecomTV is produced by the team at Decisive Media.

© Decisive Media Limited 2022. All rights reserved. All brands and products are the trademarks of their respective holder(s).