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Telecoms Promise 5G Networks If EU Cripples Net Neutrality (theverge.com)
An anonymous reader quotes The Verge:
A group of 20 major telcos including Deutsche Telekom, Nokia, Vodafone, and BT promise to launch 5G networks in every country in the European Union by 2020 -- so long as governments decide to weaken net neutrality rules. The coalition's plans are outlined in its "5G Manifesto," a seven-page document that details how the companies will roll 5G out across the continent over the next few years. However, by warning against regulation that would ensure an open internet and encouraging nations to water rules down, the companies are effectively holding the new technology for ransom... "The EU must reconcile the need for open Internet with pragmatic rules that foster innovation," reads the manifesto. "The telecom industry warns that current net neutrality guidelines, as put forward by [the Body of European Regulators], create significant uncertainties around 5G return on investment..."
The EU is asking the public to share their feedback on the manifesto.
The EU is asking the public to share their feedback on the manifesto.
Either it is collusion, or they have a legitimate gripe that the government is ignoring. Unlike most of the comments here, I tend towards the latter. Telecom in most of the EU isn't like in the U.S. They have lots of competition. If a few companies tried to withhold 5G service just to try to get concessions from the government, all that would happen is they'd lose market share to competitors who are willing to implement 5G without the concessions. So the fact that so many major telecom companies there are willing to take that risk tells me they probably have a legitimate gripe.
As I've pointed out before, net neutrality is not some perfect ideal. it's just a band-aid to try to cover up problems caused by other regulation. It wouldn't be necessary if there was unfettered competition in this particular market - any company which tried to throttle Netflix to force Netflix to pay them extra would simply lose customers to companies which didn't throttle Netflix. And like all band-aids, it has drawbacks as well.