The 2030 Digital Compass acknowledges the fact that Europe needs to be digitalised and to achieve its 4-point vision, all of them using the word digital: digital infrastructure, digital skills, digital businesses, and digital public services. Connectivity ranks among the key policy areas to deal with: all technologies (fixed, wireless, combination of fixed and mobile) should play a role in reaching 2030 goals while there are still pockets of low broadband connections. In rural areas for example, coverage has improved but NGA coverage is still lacking and show major discrepancies at EU level.
In its White Paper « Recovering with Fibre and FWA for a green and competitive Europe » IDATE gives a status overview and makes several recommendations on how this could be remedied. IDATE suggests for additional public investment on technology-neutral very high broadband and promoting deployment of the green technology that best suits the situation.
Recovering with Fibre and FWA for a green and competitive Europe
PROGRAMME
Tuesday, April 26th 2022 - 9:30 am-12:00 pm
9:30-10:00 | Welcome coffee
10:00-10:10 | Introduction
– Mr. Henk Mannekens, Director of Public and European Affairs in Brussels, IDATE
10:10-10:20 | IDATE’s point of view and 5 recommendations
– Mr. Roland Montagne, FTTx community leader, IDATE
10:20-10:30 | How to accelerate deployment of very high broadband networks in Europe
– Mr Franco Accordino, Head of Unit – Investment in High-Capacity Networks, DG CONNECT
10:30-10:40 | Revision of EU broadband guidelines
– Mr. Krzysztof Kuik, Head of Unit –markets and cases, DG COMPETITION
10:40-10:50 | BEREC’s activities and views to support connectivity targets
– Mr. Bert Klaassens, Co-chair Planning & Future trends, BEREC
10:50-11:00 | Round table
11:00-11:10 | Fibre is a forefront broadband technology
– Mr. Vincent Garnier, Director general, FTTH Council
11:10-11:20 | 5G, Fiber and FWA fall within the scope of VHCNs’ definition
– Dr. Hui Cao, Head of EU Policy and Strategy, Huawei
11:20-11:30 | Complementarity between wireless and wireline for an ubiquitous high-speed coverage
– Mr. Luc Hindryckx, Director general, ECTA
11:30-11:40 | Vodafone’s investments in VHCN and what role for FWA
– Mr. Ben Wreschner, Chief Economist and Head of Public Affairs, Vodafone Group
11:40-11:55 | Round table
11:55-12:00 | Q&A and closing
– Mr. Henk Mannekens, Director of Public and European Affairs in Brussels, IDATE
