Fast Internet: EU wants to accelerate the expansion of gigabit

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Fast Internet: EU wants to accelerate the expansion of gigabit networks

February 6, 2024

Fast internet
EU wants to accelerate the expansion of gigabit networks

The EU wants high-speed networks to be expanded more quickly. Photo: Matthias Rietschel/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa — The EU wants high-speed networks to be expanded more quickly. photo
© Matthias Rietschel/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa

The previous goals for network expansion in the EU have long been outdated or achieved. The European Parliament and EU states have agreed on improvements.

By expanding gigabit networks in the EU citizens should be able to surf the Internet faster. Negotiators from the European Parliament and EU states agreed on Tuesday on a proposal that is intended to replace the current directive to reduce broadband costs. The new law aims to reduce unnecessarily high costs for the construction of electronic communications infrastructures, which are partly caused by approval procedures before the networks are built or upgraded. These procedures are complex, sometimes lengthy and vary from Member State to Member State.

In addition, network expansion should be accelerated and legal certainty and transparency should be created for everyone involved. Operators of public communications networks should also be able to use more efficient planning and expansion procedures.

“In Europe, expanding fiber and 5G could be much easier with less administration,” said Belgian Telecommunications Minister Petra de Sutter. Belgium currently holds the presidency of the EU Council. “We are addressing this administrative burden with the so-called Gigabit Infrastructure Act.” This would enable citizens to surf faster with fiber optic or 5G. The EU states and Parliament still have to agree to the compromise. This is considered a formality.

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