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Kroes tells ETNO conference to embrace single market package
2013-10-08 15:33:00| Telecompaper Headlines
(Telecompaper) European commissioner Neelie Kroes has warned telecom operators that they will not be able to pick and choose what they like of the recently presented single market reforms and instead should embrace the package as a way to boost growth. In a speech at a conference by lobby group ETNO in Brussels, Kroes said the different elements in the package support each other, and industry players would not be able to pick just what they like, as on a restaurant menu. Following the presentation of the EC's proposals last month, most industry groups said they found the package was not comprehensive enough, and the EC had rushed through the proposal without sufficient consultation. In her speech, Kroes said operators need to face up to the economic challenges in the sector and the fact that the EU is falling behind in the global market. In order to boost both profits and investment, they need to accept that things like roaming and cross-border call surcharges soon won't exist, not due to regulation, but because of new IP technology and over-the-top services. She also rejected claims that the legislation would reduce operators' ability to invest in new networks, saying there was little sign excess profits from roaming were going to short-term investment. Noting that most financial analysts have already discounted roaming in their earnings estimates for the coming years, Kroes said her proposals had the backing of the financial community - the true determinant in whether operators invest.
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Category:Telecommunications