GSMA Recommends Further Improvements to the Telecoms Reform Package
Brussels: At today's Telecoms Council, the GSMA called on Ministers to commit to the rapid adoption of the telecoms regulatory framework reforms that will drive investment and create an inclusive Gigabit Society across Europe. The European Commission has tabled proposals in a draft European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) that will now form the basis of intensive negotiations between the Council and European Parliament.
A European leadership position in mobile, and particularly in 5G, will advance the Digital Single Market and will help connect everyone and everything to a better future. Regulatory modernisation is critical to achieving this and the draft Code provides a solid platform for this, said Afke Schaart, Vice President Europe for the GSMA. These reforms are not just about what operators want, they are about what our economy and society need to reap the full benefits of the digital opportunities ahead of us. The Commission's proposals are a good starting point and we call on the Ministers to carry forward this work with a particular focus on prioritising investment and supporting vital reform of EU spectrum policy.
In conjunction with today's Telecoms Council meeting, the GSMA published a detailed position paper on the reform proposals [link]. This report stresses overall support for the Commission's intent and focus, while proposing improvements in certain key areas:
Spectrum management has to be consistent and long-term oriented
Greater policy harmonisation could improve the quality, reach and adoption of mobile broadband services and support the EU's Digital Single Market objectives:
Longer spectrum licence durations, a stronger presumption of renewal and greater consistency in licencing approaches, as proposed in the draft Code, increase operators' incentives to invest. Together with technology and service neutrality and reduced barriers to spectrum trading, these measures will encourage investment in mobile networks and will result in more advanced mobile services and more efficient use of spectrum.
Coverage obligations need to be realistic from an investment perspective, clearly defined prior to licensing and must not be subject to unilateral change by NRAs post-licensing, as envisioned in the current draft.
When assessing competition issues in the context of spectrum licenses, Member States should apply the same standards as they do in the SMP (significant market power) framework. However, the Code foresees the inclusion of access obligations in licences and proposes the imposition of remedies through spectrum auctions, which is at odds with the standard SMP market analysis.
The Code sets out proposals that prioritise licence-exempt use and spectrum sharing, at the expense of individual licence authorisations to dedicated spectrum. The text needs to be more balanced to reflect the importance of internationally-harmonised, dedicated mobile spectrum in meeting demanding quality of service targets, and the concept of spectrum sharing needs to applied to specifically relevant situations, such as where a band is inefficiently used or where there is scope for licensed shared access to allow several mobile operators to share future millimetre wave bands for 5G.
Whilst further coordination and cooperation is required for certain key aspects of spectrum management, Member States do need a degree of national flexibility to adjust for local conditions.
Europe needs a step change in investment to match its digital ambitions
The GSMA welcomes the connectivity objective and encourages the co-legislators to closely follow it throughout the provisions. The development of a Gigabit Society , with ultrafast connectivity and sustainable competition in the medium and long term, depends on a regulatory framework that favours investment:
The ultimate objective of the proposed Code should be to maximise the contribution of the telecoms sector to the economic development of the EU and its competitiveness for the benefits of its citizens.
The proposed Code should be established through a functionality-based, dynamic and bottom-up approach.
Regulatory measures must be proportionate and solve specific problems in a much more targeted manner, with simplification being a key goal.
The Code should avoid introducing further uncertainties for operators and investors in mobile markets, and better take into account existing obligations, such as those contained in spectrum licenses.
EECC's ultimate objective is to empower as well as to protect end users
The proposed Code aims to re-establish the European Union as a digital leader, and bring further benefits for end users. It is time to truly empower end users by implementing a framework that will provide a sound platform for the ongoing digital revolution:
The Code should further harmonise consumer protection rules across digital sectors.
Consumer protection need to be based on a functional perspective; for consumers, it is irrelevant how the communication service is provided - they expect to receive a good service from all providers. Therefore, consumers' rights to information, terms and conditions should not vary according to the type of service they choose, and should not be dependent on the Member State from which the service is provided.
The Internet of Things will employ machine-to-machine (M2M) services at a scale the industry has not seen before. To enable European companies to pursue this opportunity, the regulatory environment needs to recognise the specificities of M2M services, and not subject them to end-user protection rules that are only appropriate and reasonable in the context of interpersonal communications.
-ENDS-
About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniti
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
GSMA Recommends Further Improvements to the Telecoms Reform Package
