The new ECTA Board consists of 11 directors representing key members of the pro-competitive operators association: Aforst, AIIP, Apritel, British Telecom, Cisco, FastWeb, Global Crossing, Verizon, Vonage, TDC-Song and Wind.
Innocenzo Genna, who has been acting Chairman, said: “I am happy and honoured to be confirmed as Chairman of ECTA. This is a crucial period for the telecoms sector in terms of technology and regulatory development and we need the utmost attention of the Commission, regulators and governments to maintain a pro-competitive approach towards this industry.”
Genna continued: “Our message to the Commission, as the new Regulatory Framework is implemented, is that the continued use of appropriate regulatory measures to enable competition is very important. In policy terms that means we need to give regulators the proper support and tools to address bottlenecks in telecoms networks – including the power to apply functional separation where necessary.”
ECTA, the pro competition body, has played a significant role in assisting and encouraging market liberalisation and competition in the European telecoms market since its foundation in 1998. The Association believes that continued effective regulation is critical for next generation access markets, the key to Europe’s Broadband future and global competitiveness.
As such ECTA is fully supportive of the New Telecommunications Regulatory Framework, in particular with regard to proposals regarding:
No regulatory holidays on upgraded access networks. Wherever there is a competitive bottleneck, access must be granted to all operators
The power for regulators to apply functional separation where this would help to enforce fair treatment for all operators
A mechanism to co-ordinate national regulators and ensure their input is reflected at a European level alongside that of the Commission