EU proposes single-market telecoms reform

The European Union (EU) has called for a single regulator to be created to oversee the telecoms markets across the union.

A report published by the European Commission suggested that major changes were necessary in order to ensure that all European citizens are adequately provided with services such as broadband.

European telecoms commissioner Viviane Reding noted that citizens have no access to broadband at all in some 10 per cent of Europe, despite its rapid growth in other areas of the region.

And in order to rectify such issues, she suggested that telecoms monopolies that still exist in some EU countries should be broken down and an independent overseer should act as a protector of consumers.

"Dominant telecoms operators, often still protected by government authorities, remain in control of critical market segments, especially of the broadband market. This restricts consumers' freedom of choice," Ms Reding said.

"This is why new consumer rights, a new dose of competition, an effective system of independent telecoms regulators, new investment into competitive infrastructures and more space for new wireless services are needed to put Europe's digital economy on track."

Such moves to open up the telecoms market further could benefit consumers, with cheaper and faster options set to become available for broadband services and new IP telephony technologies such as VoIP.