Universal service under consultation - ANACOM submits comments to the European Commission

Following the public consultation launched by the European Commission on 24 May 2005, on the review of the scope of universal service, ANACOM submitted to the Commission the respective comments, which involved the contributions of some operators.

With this public consultation, the Commission intends to assess the need for an extension of the scope of universal service to mobile communications services and to broadband internet access, as well as to launch a comprehensive debate on the universal service provision, in view of the next review of the regulatory framework for electronic communications, scheduled for 2006.

In this sense, the preliminary conclusions of the Commission, stated in the corresponding Communication, point towards the non-inclusion of neither mobile services nor broadband services within the scope of universal service, one of the key-issues of the consultation. The Commission deems, therefore, that there is no justification at this time for altering legislation in force in the scope of these communications services.
 
Moreover, having regard to the challenges posed by the technological evolution of the last few years, a set of “longer-term issues” were presented, weighting a possible adoption of future alterations to the legal framework of the universal service currently in force, which results from the last fundamental review of the regulatory framework, the “99 Review”.

The position of ANACOM integrates a package of 75 comments which have been made available at the website of the  European Union - Information Societyhttp://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/ecomm/info_centre/documentation/public_consult/universal_service/index_en.htm.

The Commission shall further publish a second Communication on this matter, including all comments received in the scope of this consultation.

 Comments of ANACOM to the Communication from the Commission on the Review of the scope of Universal Service - COM(2005)203

Related information

 European Commission launches debate on universal servicehttp://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=275785

 Communication from the Commission on the Review of the Scope of Universal Service in accordance with Article 15 of Directive 2002/22/EC - COM(2005)203http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/ecomm/doc/info_centre/documentation/communic_reports/universal_service/com_2005_203_en.pdf

 Commission staff working document– SEC(2005)660http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/ecomm/doc/info_centre/documentation/commiss_serv_doc/sec_2005_660_staff_working_document.pdf

 Public consultation on the Review of the Scope of Universal Service in accordance with Article 15 of Directive 2002/22/EChttp://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/ecomm/info_centre/documentation/public_consult/index_en.htm#universal_service

 Directive 2002/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 7 March 2002http://www.anacom.pt/template20.jsp?categoryId=58695&contentId=93331 on universal service and users' rights relating to electronic communications networks and services (Universal Service Directive)

 Electronic communications - new regulatory frameworkhttp://www.anacom.pt/template2.jsp?categoryId=60209

 Telephone Service at a Fixed Location and Universal Servicehttp://www.anacom.pt/template2.jsp?categoryId=2995

More info:

Universal service under consultation - ANACOM submits comments to the European Commission http://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1043711