ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY: SEPTEMBER 4 INFORMAL

UNCLAS ROME 003916

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECPS IT EUN
SUBJECT: ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY: SEPTEMBER 4 INFORMAL
MINISTERIAL ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS


1. (U) ACCORDING TO THE GOI'S DRAFT AGENDA FOR THE INFORMAL
MINISTERIAL ON TELLECOMMUNICATIONS, THE MINISTERS WILL ASSESS
THE STATE OF BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT AT THE EUROPEAN LEVEL, WITH
PARTICULAR ATTENTION PAID TO DELAYS IN CERTAIN AREAS. THE
MINISTERS WILL ADDRESS THE USE OF EU STRUCTURAL FUNDS FOR
DISADVANTAGED AREAS OF THE EU (E.G. BRIDGING THE DIGITAL
DIVIDE) AND WILL PRESENT NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF BROADBAND, INCLUDING INCENTIVE MEASURES. THE
MINISTERIAL WILL ALSO FOCUS ON THE EXPERIENCE OF INDUSTRY
BROADBAND OPERATORS, SPECIFICALLY TELECOM ITALIA, FRANCE
TELECOM, BRITISH TELECOM, AND TISCALI S.P.A., ALL OF WHICH
WILL BE REPRESENTED AT ONE OF THE SESSIONS.


2. (U) A BACKGROUND INFORMATION PAPER ON BROADBAND AND THE
MINISTERIAL PROVIDED BY THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT REQUESTS THAT
ATTENDING MINISTERS ADDRESS SEVERAL QUESTIONS IN THE
PRESENTATION OF THEIR NATIONAL ACTION PLANS FOR BROADBAND
DEPLOYMENT:

- THE STATUS OF NATIONAL BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT,
OBSTACLES TO ITS DEVELOPMENT, THE MAIN INITIATIVES STATES
PLAN TO ADOPT TO FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF BROADBAND
INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THE LEVEL OF COMPETITION BETWEEN
INCUMBENTS AND NEW ENTRANTS IN THE BROADBAND INDUSTRY;

- THE PREFERRED WAY TO USE STRUCTURAL FUNDS, WITH
PARTICULAR ATTENTION ON REDUCING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN BOTH
MEMBER AND APPLICANT STATES.

THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT HOPES TO GATHER INFORMATION TO ENABLE
THE DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDELINES GOVERNING THE DEVELOPMENT OF
BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE IN EUROPE AND THE INITATIVES TO
UNDERTAKE AT THE EUROPEAN LEVEL.


3. (U) EMBOFFS WILL ATTEND AND REPORT ON THE SEPTEMBER 4
MINISTERIAL.


4. (U) COMMENT: THE INFORMATION PAPER IS VAGUE IN ITS
DEFINITION OF BROADBAND, A TERM THAT IS USED TO REFER TO A
RANGE OF TECHNOLOGIES OF DIFFERENT CAPACITIES AND SPEEDS FOR
THE DELIVERY OF DATA COMMUNICATION SERVICES, INCLUDING HYBRID
FIBER COAX TECHNOLOGY (HFC) AND DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER LINE (DSL)
SERVICE, AS WELL AS WIRELESS DATA TRANSMISSION. GIVEN THE
DIVERSE SET OF BROADBAND TECHNOLOGIES, THE RAPID PACE OF
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE, AND THE VARIETY OF ENTITIES PROVIDING
VARIOUS BROADBAND SERVICES, THE DEVELOPMENT OF EU-WIDE
BROADBAND INITIATIVES, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS IS LIKELY TO
BE A LENGTHY PROCESS. END COMMENT.
SKODON

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2003ROME03916 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED