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 Society.
The Commission shall further publish a second Communication on this matter, including all comments received in the scope of this consultation.
Consult:
Further information:
- 75 comentário ANACOM - União Europeia - Sociedade da Informação http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/ecomm/info_centre/documentation/public_consult/universal_service/index_en.htm
- 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) 203 http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/ecomm/doc/info_centre/documentation/communic_reports/universal_service/com_2005_203_en.pdf
- Documento de trabalho da Comissão - SEC(2005)660 http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/ecomm/doc/info_centre/documentation/commiss_serv_doc/sec_2005_660_staff_working_document.pdf
- Consulta pública sobre a revisão do âmbito do serviço universal, nos termos do artigo 15.º da Directiva 2002/22/CE http://europa.eu.int/information_society/policy/ecomm/info_centre/documentation/public_consult/index_en.htm#universal_service
Related information on ANACOM's website:
- European Commission launches debate on universal service https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=275785
- Directive 2002/22/EC of the European Parliament and Council, of 7.3.2002 https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=985479
- Electronic communications - regulatory framework https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=60209
- Telephone Service at a Fixed Location and Universal Service https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?categoryId=2995
