EU Towercos or Making the Utmost Value of Current Infrastructures: Eventual Competition Concerns

Abstract

The main priority of the EU Digital Agenda is to transform Europe into an attractive, secure and dynamic digital economy with clear and fair rules, while investing in next generation, standards, tools and infrastructures . At the first list of the framework stands the deployment of 5G networks , for which the Commission had set the ambitious goal of having at least one major city in each Member State “5G enabled” by the end of 2020 and uninterrupted 5G coverage in all urban areas and major terrestrial transport paths by 2025. Among the primary objectives of promoting competition, securing the internal market and promoting the end-user interests, the “connectivity objective” captures the attention, if articulated in terms of outcomes. Europe wants widespread access to and take-up of very high capacity networks for all citizens of the Union and Union businesses , on the basis of reasonable prices and choice, effective and fair competition, open innovation, efficient use of radio spectrum, e.t.c. It’s undeniable that the requirements concerning the capabilities of electronic communications networks are constantly increasing. In this frame, infrastructure competition seems to be ideally fostered through an economically efficient level of investment in new and existing infrastructure, complemented by regulation, where necessary.