The European Commission is asking stakeholders and the general public for their views on what fixed and mobile networks need to provide. Particularly for businesses throughout Europe, this is very relevant as companies become more reliant on the internet.
The feedback will take the form of a questionnaire that can be completed online. The form asks about current needs, and how these needs are expected to evolve over the years. The project is called “Public Consultation on the Needs for Internet Speed and Quality Beyond 2020.”
In documentation about the project, the EC says: “The purpose is to assess and understand those needs better with a view to developing public policy to accompany investors in the deployment of future-proof connectivity networks and to ensure that all users, e.g. households, businesses, public institutions, can take advantage of the digital economy and society.”
The Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA) has stated that it supports the move as it firmly believes that telecommunication is essential to Europe’s industrial growth. The GSMA also went on to say that the digital sector “could lead to unparalleled prospects for economic growth and social progress.”
With small and medium-sized enterprises expecting more and more out of the internet, and especially with the advancement of the Internet of Things, there is a need for a new European framework for investment and innovation. Consulting the people that it affects most is a great beginning to any changes that will take place.
The survey finishes on 7th December. As 5G is still in the initial stages of development, it could well turn out to be premature in predicting what will happen after 2020. What is very likely is that the review will emphasise that what everybody wants is quick, ever-present connectivity.