BEREC Press Release
During the last plenary meetings, BEREC decided to launch several public consultations on: a report analysing the impact of content and devices on the telecoms market, a preliminary report on monitoring of mobile coverage in view of a Common position and the BEREC Work programme for 2018. During the meeting, BEREC has also decided to develop a Net Neutrality opt-in common measurement tool and has adopted a High-level statement on NRAs competencies, in light of recent discussions in the ongoing framework review.
BEREC initiates work on Mobile coverage monitoring and presents solutions to facilitate connectivity in challenge areas
Enhancing connectivity and innovation in Europe remains a key objective for BEREC this year. In line with this objective, BEREC discussed and approved for public consultation a draft BEREC/RSPG report on facilitating mobile connectivity in ‘challenge areas’ that provides a comprehensive and comparative assessment of initiatives to facilitate mobile connectivity in ‘challenge areas’, where operators might be reluctant to provide services. The public consultation will be launched once the report is adopted by RSPG.
BEREC also approved for public consultation a preliminary report in view of a Common position on monitoring of Mobile coverage. This preliminary report identifies how mobile coverage measurement and publication of coverage maps are achieved by some European NRAs; and provides a description of the high-level characteristics that are essential to the provision of mobile coverage information to consumers. Following the public consultation, BEREC will build on the contributions received and further internal work to prepare a Common position on monitoring of mobile coverage. The public consultation on the preliminary report will run from 11 October to 8 November 2017.
BEREC initiates the development of a Net Neutrality opt-in measurement tool
In its continuous effort to safeguard an open environment throughout Europe, BEREC has decided to develop an opt-in measurement tool. The aim is to help NRAs and end-users to measure the quality of fixed or mobile internet access services and detect potential illegal traffic management practices such as blocking or throttling of specific applications. A tender will be developed in the coming months with the objective to launch in the first quarter of 2018. A report on specifications for such tools has also been approved for publication.
At the Plenary, BEREC also approved the NN Regulatory assessment methodology. The work on document was built on regulatory best practices and previous BEREC guidance as regards the internet access service quality monitoring. The methodology is developed to assist NRAs in the implementation of the BEREC Net Neutrality Guidelines.
To explain the past and future role of BEREC in the implementation of Net neutrality rules, BEREC launches today a video.
Open internet: BEREC analyses Impact of content markets and devices on fixed and mobile ECS market
In line with this key objective to safeguard an open environment, BEREC has adopted a draft BEREC report on Impact of content markets and devices on fixed and mobile ECS market that summarises approaches taken by NRAs and competition authorities to address potential competition concerns in this area. BEREC adopted the report for public consultation, inviting the stakeholders to provide their valuable inputs. The public consultation on the preliminary report will run from 11 October to 8 November 2017.
BEREC presents its work in 2018 focused on 5G and its Strategy for the coming years
The annual BEREC Work Programme is the basis for the work to be carried out by BEREC in 2018. In line with the draft BEREC Medium-term Strategy 2018-2020 adopted at the same Plenary, the work programme is clustered into 5 strategic priorities reflecting BEREC’s objectives for the next years. To have a broad stakeholder involvement in defining the work of the organisation next year, BEREC launched a public consultation on the draft document that will run from 11 October to 8 November 2017 and will present it at the Stakeholder Forum which will take place in Brussels on 18 October 2017 for further discussions with stakeholders. The final adoption of the document is planned at the last plenary meeting of the year.
Framework review: BEREC releases a statement calling for safeguarding NRAs competencies and independence
The BEREC Chair presented and answered questions during the public debriefing of 11 October on the concerns shared by BEREC members concerning NRAs competencies during their last Plenary meetings. A high-level statement has been published and reasserts, in light of recent discussions, the need to ensure NRAs independence in order to provide for regulatory predictability to support long-term investment and innovation. It insists on the crucial role NRAs play in the effective promotion of the internal market and the importance of a minimum set of competencies to ensure the achievement of tangible progress in this respect.
A full list of public documents adopted at the plenary meetings (including reports on IP interconnection practices, on fixed/mobile convergence and on new forms of sharing passive optical network) is available on the BEREC website. The next BEREC plenary meetings will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark on 7-8 December 2017.
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