A Summit on "The Open Internet and Net Neutrality in Europe" takes place in the European Parliament in Brussels.

digital agenda (T)

Brussels

conference

The Open Internet and Net Neutrality in Europe: extracts from the summit

SOUNDBITE (English), Jean-Jacques SAHEL, Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Skype, So in terms of specifics, there is a number of telecom operators and in particular mobile operators that have prohibitions in place in term of the type of uses, what you can do with your internet access as a consumer, or a citizen. A lot of them restrict the use of things like Skype or what is called VoIP, others have restrictions on video or audio or things like streaming or P2P and many of the digital restrictions have nothing to do with the idea of managing networks, managing traffic to ensure the consumer is getting experience. 

SOUNDBITE (English), Jean-Jacques SAHEL, Director of Government and Regulatory Affairs, Skype, Actually there are arbitrary restrictions in most cases and now we have tools, thanks what the Parliament put together last year in the telecom package. To make the regulators to stamp out those abuses that restrict consumer freedom and restrict innovators ability to innovate, to come up with new online products. And so the idea today is to explain, we have those provisions but now it is time for the Commission and EU institution clarify what the telecoms package meant and how we should apply it in practice. So that as soon as possible, we can regulators to act and stop the abuse that we whiteness and suffer in Europe every day.

SOUNDBITE (English), Alex BLOWERS, International Director, OFCOM, A quarry to the question of discrimination is the question of how the consumers can use their own sovereign power to exercise the choice between providers as effectively as possible. Transparency is a key issue therefore and it is clear that the existing state of transparency relation of traffic managing is highly mixed. Very variable both between different jurisdiction and between providers. So we want to introduce consistency and rigger to the process of requiring transparent information to be provided. And that may involve going beyond, if you like the, traditional approach of the telecoms lawyer to transparency which is make sure somewhere in terms and conditions a legal clause that covers any all in eventualities. To something that allows real and meaningful change of consumers.

SOUNDBITE (English), Robindhra MANGTANI, Senior Director, GSMA, It's been well reported that the demand for mobile internet driven by Smartphone adoption dongles and PDA devices will lead at least a quadrupling of traffic within next three years. It has been reported that operators have faced unprecedented levels of demands in some cities. As technology advances rapidly, connectivity will be an everyday reality for many devices such as cameras, TV, navigation systems, smart meters and health monitoring bringing new challenges for operators to providing service to all. This increasing demand from the consumer site linked to the type of traffic that consumers are not only downloading but also uploading, access a multiply affect on the amount of traffic required management to meet their specific requirements.