EU Has Plans For Uber-Telecom Regulator
The EU commissioner behind the mandated cuts to mobile roaming charges now has plans to create a content-wide telecom regulator that would usurp regulatory authority from the relevant bodies in its member nations. It’s a typical sort of battle when it comes to EU matters, with countries having to decide just how much local authority they’re willing to give up, but it could be particularly problematic in telecommunications. While there’s talk of creating a level playing field across the contintent, the problem is that things are already so uneven across the continent, particularly in countries with state-controlled operators, crafting a single telecom policy will be ineffective in dealing with the inconsistencies in local markets. It does make sense to harmonize certain areas, like spectrum, for instance, but simply creating a powerful new regulator and expecting that to solve the problem quickly and easily is short-sighted.
