Svenska Stadsnätsföreningen
Established in 1998, the Swedish Local Fibre Alliance (Svenska Stadsnätsföreningen), is a non-profit-making trade association whose currently about 295 members are to a large extent local authorities and companies which own or operate (mostly FTTH based) communications networks that are accessible by everyone.
ID: 977983319713-44
Lobbying Activity
Response to How to master Europe’s digital infrastructure needs?
28 Jun 2024
The Swedish Local Fibre Alliance finds it positive that the Commission's white paper aims to promote the expansion and development of digital infrastructure. There is a need for robust and stable digital infrastructure, which is equally important in rural areas as in urban areas. People without high-quality connectivity risk digital exclusion and cannot access the public services they are entitled to. Digital solutions can compensate for physical distances where the same offerings are not available in rural areas as in cities and can also reduce the number of transports. A vibrant countryside must mean the opportunity to work remotely and for businesses to establish and operate on equal terms as in cities. The European fiber and telecom market is mainly functioning well, and the Swedish Local Fibre Alliance firmly believes that increased consolidation, particularly in the fiber market, is the wrong path to take from a competition perspective. The association believes that the current EU telecom regulation has resulted in a diversity of market players, large and small, which has been crucial for the EU's digital development. A diversity of actors is essential to ensure competition and meet the needs of consumers, businesses, and public administrations. Competition between different actors promotes expansion and investments. A more liberal competition policy is not the right way to address the challenges facing the EU. It could lead to a lack of competition and negative effects on consumers, innovation, investments, reduced competitiveness, and growth in the internal market. The Swedish Local Fibre Alliance believes that the current regulatory framework needs to be harmonized before more regulations are developed or changed. There are several risks with extending an already existing regulatory framework to include new sectors. This is noted, among other things, by the consultancy firm Plumconsulting in the report "Consequences of EC proposals to extend regulatory scope to the entire digital economy. " Instead of extending the existing EU telecom code and parallel implementation of new regulations, the Commission should prioritize the regulations already adopted in recent years and work for more effective implementation and enforcement of these. The Swedish Local Fibre Alliance further supports a rapid shutdown of the copper network and transition to fiber networks as it will contribute positively to the environmental adaptation of digital networks and promote broadband expansion. The proposal that the shutdown of the copper network should be closely monitored and supervised by the respective country's regulatory authority is good. It is important that competition is not weakened in the transition from copper to fiber networks. Regarding the third pillar, "Secure and Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Europe," The Swedish Local Fibre Alliance believes that the security issue related to Europe's telecom infrastructure needs to be expanded and developed. Digital infrastructure, whether fixed or mobile, in urban or rural areas, needs to be adapted to both current and future needs. The goal for the digital EU should be to have a secure, robust, and constantly available digital infrastructure in all member countries. The infrastructure should be reliable at all times and under all circumstances, meaning it should be able to withstand disruptions and still function reliably. This is a prerequisite for achieving the necessary digitalization that society faces. To succeed, investments in robust security systems are needed, as well as continuous maintenance and upgrades of the digital infrastructure. Security is a very important aspect, but the question is whether the EU should commit to post-quantum encryption recommendations. As quantum technology develops, it is crucial that the EU not only focuses on existing security solutions but also invests in research on future security solutions.
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