European Commission reports on broadband

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the provisioning of telecom and broadband services for EU citizens, the EU's official press office - Europa - has reported.

The public consultation seeks views on broadband, identifying it as being "crucial to foster growth and jobs in Europe".

However, penetration into the EU heartland by VoIP traffic and VoIP infrastructure remains a challenge, as the commission reported that 23 per cent of people in rural areas do not have access to fixed broadband networks.

It is hoped that the consultation will lead to a decision about broadband and the level of provisioning the service will receive in the EU.

The consultation also asks whether the telecommunications sector should be encouraged to make a major contribution to ensure universal broadband coverage.