EU Commission wants to drive forward the expansion of gigabit networks
Less bureaucracy, simpler approval processes: The European Commission wants to accelerate the rollout of gigabit networks. EU Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton noted on Thursday in Brussels that we are experiencing a period of technological upheaval. He said it is essential to ensure that everyone in the EU has access to high-speed internet.
In view of the increasing use of data-hungry technologies such as cloud services, artificial intelligence and virtual reality, the EU Commission therefore proposed a Gigabit Infrastructure Act, which EU member states and the European Parliament must now negotiate. Among other things, it also stipulates that all new buildings and all existing buildings undergoing major renovation work must be equipped with fiber optics. According to the EU Commission's plans, all EU citizens are to be covered by gigabit internet and fast mobile communications by 2030.
Do streaming services have to pay?
Breton expressly referred to the high costs incurred by the network expansion. On Thursday, the EU Commission therefore launched a public consultation on who should pay for these costs, among other things. One hotly disputed issue is whether providers of particularly data-hungry services such as streaming portals should pay for them.
Breton did emphasize the data consumption of streaming services on Thursday. However, he did not want to commit to whether they should therefore pay for network expansion. First, he said, the public consultation, which goes until May 19, should be waited for. However, in a statement, the Frenchman at least said that they were also looking at "whether platforms should share the cost of investing in next-generation connectivity with telecom operators."
Net neutrality
Critics see this as a threat to net neutrality, the principle according to which all data should flow equally through the network - regardless of where it comes from, what type of data it is and what content it has. Breton stressed on Thursday that net neutrality is a key principle.
Nevertheless, SPD MEP Tiemo Wölken criticized that the Commissioner had only paid lip service to net neutrality "despite massive criticism from civil society in particular". He had not dispelled the concerns. Breton rejected the idea of a digital tax.
The idea of paying the network operators is criticized by the platforms. YouTube's parent company Google, for example, points out that its online services created the demand for fast Internet connections in the first place. And these companies have also invested a lot of money in the production of content, the development of technology and their own lines. The network operators have not participated in these investments either. (SDA)
