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    Telecoms Europe 2021 – Time for a regulatory shake-up in Europe? By John Strand, CEO, Strand Consult

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    Time for a regulatory shake-up in Europe?

    By John Strand, CEO, Strand Consult

    If we look at the telecommunications market in Europe, it has evolved from world leader status to laggard. In 2000, Europe had 6 makers of mobile phones and accounted for one-third of global investment in broadband. Today, investment has been halved, and no phone makers remain.  Capital fled to more welcoming regions. Europe was among the first with 3G and 4G, but it will be among the last when it comes to 5G.  A misguided campaign to lower telecom prices has resulted in attacking industry fundamentals. Moreover, successive telecom regulation has not improved quality or consumer satisfaction. Europe’s telecom networks are older and slower than other regions of the world, and European authorities have blocked the mergers that would allow telecom operators to invest in next generation technologies and create competition. The big question is what should the future of regulation look like? And who will benefit from it?