Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on Barriers to widespread access to new services and applications of the information society through open platforms in digital television and third generation mobile communications
Date: 2003-07-09
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: high-definition television, information society, marketing restriction, mobile phone, pay television, service, telecommunications policy

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 9.7.2003
COM(2003) 410 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

on Barriers to widespread access to new services and applications of the information
society through open platforms in digital television and third generation mobile
communications

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

on Barriers to widespread access to new services and applications of the information
society through open platforms in digital television and third generation mobile
communications

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This Communication is the Commission’s  response to  the request to examine and report on
any  remaining  barriers  to  widespread  access  to  Information  Society  services  through  open
delivery  platforms  in  3G  mobile  communications  and  digital  television.  In  recognition  of
market realities and expectations, the Communication is not confined to these two platforms
but rather presents a multi-platform approach to the delivery of Information Society services,
which is more likely to be the market reality in future. This Communication addresses some
generic  issues  common  to  all  digital  platforms  as  well  as  some  platform-specific  issues  for
mobile  communications  and  digital  TV.  These  latter  two  are  expected  to  complement  other
delivery platforms that will also offer Information Society and other electronic services.

Achieving widespread access by all citizens, including the disabled and handicapped, to new
services and applications of the Information Society is one of the crucial goals of the EU for
the  coming  decade.  During  that  period,  multiple  access  platforms  will  become  available,
using different access methods for delivery of services to a wide variety of end user terminals.

Today, personal computers are the most widespread means of accessing Information Society
services. Digital TV receivers with set top boxes and mobile phones are currently running a
distant  second  place  to  PCs,  while  devices  spanning  several  categories  are  emerging.  In
future, once a multi-platform environment is the norm, users are expected to want to access
the same digital services and content in a variety of situations and locations, using different
devices and  network  connections.  For  the  multi-platform  environment  to  proliferate  and  for
the platforms themselves to complement each other, the regulatory environment must favour
technologically neutral conditions for competition, without giving preference to one platform
over others.

The  technology  and  system  architectures  of  these  next  generation  platforms  are  rather
complex  and  evolve  rapidly.  No  single  analysis  can  be  definitive.  Converging  technology
means  that  new  systems  and  services  are  under  development  with  inputs,  contributions  and
traditions from multiple industries – including telecoms, broadcasting, cable, Internet service
provision, computer and software industries and media and publishing industries – where the
significance of standardisation and interoperability differs. As digital technology continues to
evolve,  the  converging  markets  will  face  pressure  to  move  towards  fully  inter-operable
services  but  initial  and  emerging  markets  may  require  time  to  reach  that  goal.  Typically,
technical difficulties with interoperability occur when introducing new and advanced systems.
New,  state-of-the-art  services,  networks  and 
technology  cannot  guarantee  seamless
interoperability with all networks at the time of launch.

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Operators  in  the  value  chain,  including  those  in  3G  mobile  communications  and  digital
television  services,  recognise  the  value  of  interoperability.  However,  these  two  particular
sectors are not comparable: each technology emerged under different commercial conditions
using different business models. Digital terrestrial TV is particularly challenged to update or
create  viable  business  models  and  to  manage  the  switchover  from  analogue  to  digital
transmission.  Ultimately  specific  measures  at  national  or  European  level  might  need  to  be
considered  if  market  forces  alone  cannot  bring  about  a  coherent  approach  to  analogue
switchoff and digital switchover.

Interoperability  is  likely  to  evolve  with  technology.  The  Commission  will  monitor
developments in multi-platform  delivery  of and  access  to  electronic  services  with  a  view  to
determining  if  the  use  of  proprietary  technology  has  the  effect  of  depriving  users  of
widespread  access  to  Information  Society  services  in  a  way  that  limits  their  choice
unreasonably.

Promoting  interoperability  within  the  digital  TV  platform  is  an  agreed  EU  objective.  Some
concrete measures to promote interoperability have already been adopted at EU level. Further
public  consultation  will  take  place  late  2003/early  2004  in  pursuit  of  the  Commission’s
obligation  to  report  by  no  later  than  July  2004  on  the  extent  to  which  interoperability  and
freedom of choice have been achieved for digital television services in Member States.

For  3G  mobile  communications,  industry  is  actively  pursuing  standardisation  activities  to
achieve end-to-end interoperability of services. This Communication concludes that, in light
of existing initiatives, the efforts of industry and the lack of actual roll-out of services warrant
a  ‘wait  and  see’  approach  before  any  consideration  could  be  given  to  whether  new  policy
initiatives might be needed for purposes of ensuring interoperability.

This Communication finds that the “openness” of 3G and DTV platforms is only one –albeit
important  -  factor  among  several  commercial  factors  that  will  affect  access  to  Information
Society  services.  Other  challenging  issues,  such  as  the  development  of  attractive  consumer
services,  the  creation  of  a  secure  environment  to  inspire  consumer  confidence,  and  an
environment  of  regulatory  clarity  for  new  electronic  services,  are  equally  important  in
determining whether widespread access to Information Society services will be available.

Alongside  the  commercial  factors  that  will  drive  widespread  access  to  new  services,  public
authorities can have a considerable impact on the creation of an Information Society, in their
roles  as  legislators,  regulators,  promoters,  and  public  procurement  agencies  simply  by
offering their services in electronic form over multiple platforms. Legislative and regulatory
conditions  should  create  a  favourable  environment  for  business,  attracting  investment  and
favouring  innovation  and  economic  development,  as  well  as  safeguarding  the  interests  of
consumers.  As  a  first  step,  public  authorities  should  offer  their  public  services  on-line  and
follow public procurement policies that favour openness and interoperability.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 6

1.

1.1.

1.2.

1.3.

1.4.

1.5.

1.6.

2.

3.

3.1.

3.2.

3.3.

3.4.

4.

5.

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 7

A vision of the future: the Information Society infrastructure and multi-platform
access............................................................................................................................ 7

‘Information Society Services’..................................................................................... 8

Interoperability ............................................................................................................. 9

Economic benefits and costs of interoperability ........................................................ 10

Application Program Interfaces (APIs)...................................................................... 11

Open Platforms and their Benefits ............................................................................. 11

An overview of current trends.................................................................................... 12

Television Service Delivery Platforms ...................................................................... 14

Digital TV .................................................................................................................. 15

Barriers to the roll out of an open digital TV services delivery platform .................. 16

Re-authoring and multi-authoring.............................................................................. 17

Third-party access to APIs in the new regulatory framework.................................... 18

Third Generation Mobile communications ................................................................ 19

Barriers to widespread access to new services and applications of the
information society through open platforms in digital television and 3G mobile
communications ......................................................................................................... 21

5.1.

Factors – other than openness and interoperability – affecting access to services..... 21

5.1.1.

Patents and other intellectual property rights ............................................................. 21

5.1.2. Consumer trust and confidence to create mass market demand................................. 22

5.1.3. Business Models......................................................................................................... 23

5.1.4. Digital TV roll-out and exploitation of European cultural diversity.......................... 24

5.1.5. Clarity of regulation ................................................................................................... 24

5.1.6. Radio frequency: assignment and flexibility.............................................................. 25

6.

Conclusions and Follow-up........................................................................................ 25

6.1.

Follow-up - for Member State governments .............................................................. 26

6.1.1. Government as legislator............................................................................................ 26

6.1.2. Governments and regulators....................................................................................... 26

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6.1.3. Government as supplier of information and information society services................. 26

6.1.4. Government as purchaser ........................................................................................... 27

6.1.5. Government as promoter............................................................................................ 27

6.1.6. Government as facilitator ........................................................................................... 28

6.2.

Follow-up – the European Commission..................................................................... 28

6.2.1.

Some recent actions.................................................................................................... 28

6.2.2.

Some future actions .................................................................................................... 29

6.2.3. Regulatory and Research Measures ........................................................................... 30

6.2.4.

Support for private sector measures ........................................................................... 30

6.2.5. Measures related to the disabled ................................................................................ 31

6.2.6. Multi-national measures ............................................................................................. 31

6.3.

An Ongoing Process................................................................................................... 31

ANNEX: ................................................................................................................................... 33

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BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION

The  Barcelona  European  Council  in  March  2002  recognised  that  digital  television  and
third-generation  mobile  communications  (3G)  will  play  a  key  role  in  providing
widespread  access  to  interactive  services.  The  Barcelona  Council  called  upon  the
Commission  and  the  Member  States  to  foster  the  use  of  open  platforms  to  provide
freedom of  choice to citizens for access to applications  and services of the  Information
Society. It also invited the Commission to present, inter alia, a comprehensive analysis
of remaining barriers to:

the achievement of widespread access to new services and applications of
the  information  society  through  open  platforms  in  digital  television  and
3G mobile communications1.

The Seville European Council  re-iterated  the request to the  Commission for a report to
the  Copenhagen  European  Council  in  December  2002  on  “the  remaining  barriers  to
open platforms in digital television and third-generation mobile communications”2. This
Communication  is  the  Commission’s  response  to  that  request,  following  a  public
consultation  on  an  earlier  Commission  services  working  document  that  lasted  from
December  2002  to  February  2003.  In  annex  to  the  present  Communication,  the
Commission  describes  the  public  consultation  conducted  on  the  earlier  working
document,  the  comments  received  and  how  these  are  reflected  in  the  present
Communication.  It  is  one  of  several  reports  on,  and  initiatives  taken,  in  relation  to  the
Information  Society.  These  include  an  eEurope  2005  Action  Plan3,  endorsed  by  the
Seville  European  Council  in  June  2002,  which  recognises  the  importance  of  an
Information  Society  for  all  to  achieving  the  Lisbon  objective  of  making  the  Union  the
world’s most competitive, knowledge-based economy; the Communication on roll-out of
third generation (3G) mobile communications4; and a Communication on the state of the
telecoms sector presented ahead of the Spring European Council in March 20035.

The present Communication presents an analysis of the barriers to widespread access to
new  services  and  applications  of  the  information  society  through  open  platforms  in
digital  television  and  3G  mobile  communications.  In  order  to  ensure  a  proper
understanding of the drivers in the creation of an Information Society, it identifies other
issues that will affect access to Information Society services. These other issues concern
commercial, regulatory and consumer factors that affect the Information Society; they are
no  less  important  than  open  platforms,  possibly  even  more  so,  and  will  therefore
determine what services can be accessed from what devices.

1

2

3

4

5

See point 41 of Council Presidency conclusions at: http://ue.eu.int/en/Info/eurocouncil/index.htm.
See point 54 of Council Presidency conclusions at: http://ue.eu.int/en/Info/eurocouncil/index.htm.
eEurope 2005: An information society for all COM(2002) 263 final.
‘Towards the full roll-out of third-generation mobile communications’ COM(2002) 301 final.
COM (2003) 65 final.

6

                                                
1.

INTRODUCTION

Digital  technologies  have  revolutionised  the  transmission  of  information  by  allowing
information  (voice,  text,  audio  and  video)  to  be  converted  into  digital  form,  generally
delivering  better quality  more  efficiently.  Different  kinds  of  content  can  be  transmitted
through different networks and accessed from different end-user terminals. The result is a
convergence  and  a  complementarity  of  services  and  markets  in  an  increasingly
sophisticated way.

The term “An Information Society for All” conveys the idea that sooner or later everyone
in  society  will  routinely  access  and  make  use  of  digital  (i.e.,  electronic)  services.  This
transformation  of  our  everyday  lives,  whether  in  administrations,  or  businesses,  as
citizens,  in  homes  or  at  schools  will  be  driven  by  investment  and  innovation  in  new
digital technologies that will be transformed into everyday services that people  want  to
use. This Communication focuses on the platforms for delivering services, i.e., the means
for  service  delivery  throughout  the  value  chain,  rather  than  the  variety  of  services
themselves.

1.1.

A  vision  of  the  future:  the  Information  Society  infrastructure  and  multi-
platform access

Some  commentators  have  evoked  a  future  vision  of  the  Information  Society  in  which
anyone will be able to access any information or communicate with any individual or any
appliance for business, family or entertainment purposes, independently of their location,
in all modalities they need, only limited by rights, whether commercial or legal, or by the
functionality  of  their  system  and  equipment.  In  such  an  ideal  situation,  all  service
providers could offer their services to all users and organisations. In practice, the precise
capabilities of each platform/end terminal configuration will affect the services provided
over them and how consumers will be able to use them.

Communications infrastructures of today are characterised by a number of more or less
isolated  ‘islands  of  connectivity’.  Some  of  these  islands  have  a  (nearly)  global  reach,
such as the telephone network, but may be limited in functionality (e.g., voice or narrow
band  data).  Others  have  broadband  capacity  but  are  limited  in  a  geographical  sense,
because the services are only offered locally.

There is a trend towards growing interoperability between these ‘islands’. This evolution
is  partly  of  a  technological  nature:  the  digitalisation  of  existing  networks  contributes
substantially to the possibility to make them interoperable; partly market driven: users
want to have the possibility to access services offered by different service providers on
several  devices  in  different  places  and  situations;  and  partly  regulatory:  the  new  EU
regulatory  framework  aims  to  create  a  level  playing  field  with  technologically  neutral
regulation that encourages a competitive multi-platform environment to emerge.

The  technology  and  system  architectures  of  evolving  delivery  platforms  are  rather
complex  and  evolve  rapidly.  Converging  markets  and  industries  are  coming  from
different commercial backgrounds. New systems and services are under development by
converging 
telecoms,  broadcasting,  cable,  Internet  service
provision, computer and software industries and media and publishing industries, where
the role and importance of standardisation and interoperability have not been the same.
Digital  technological  evolution  will  continue  to  push  converging  markets  to  move

industries, 

including 

7

towards  fully  inter-operable  services.  However,  it  should  be  recognised  that  initial  and
emerging markets may require time to reach that goal. Technical difficulties are common
when  introducing  new  and  advanced  systems.  New  networks,  services  and  technology
cannot guarantee seamless interoperability with all services on all networks from launch.
Nor would it be beneficial to either consumers or business to delay marketing until full
interoperability has been achieved.

1.2.

‘Information Society Services’

The term ‘information society service’ is defined in EU legislation as:

“any  service  normally  provided  for  remuneration,  at  a  distance,  by
electronic means and at the individual request of a recipient of services”6.

In  consequence,  Information  Society  services  span  a  wide  range  of  economic  activities
which take place  on-line,  such  as the selling of  goods.  Information society services are
not restricted solely to services concerned with on-line contracting but also, in so far as
they represent an economic activity, cover services that are not paid for directly by those
who receive them, such as offering on-line information or commercial communications,
or  providing  tools  that  allow  for  search,  access  to  and  retrieval  of  data.  Information
Society services also cover services that consist of the transmission of information via a
communications  network;  providing  access  to  a  communication  network;  and  hosting
information  provided  by  a  recipient  of  a  service.  Services  that  are  transmitted  point  to
point,  such  as  video-on-demand  or  the  provision  of  commercial  communications  by
electronic  mail,  are  also  Information  Society  services7.  By  way  of  contrast,  activities
such  as  the  physical  delivery  of  goods,  the  provision  of  services  off-line,  or  services
which by their very nature  cannot be carried out at a distance and by electronic means,
such as on-site auditing of company accounts or rendering medical advice that  requires
the physical examination of a patient, are not Information Society services.

Television  broadcasting  within  the  meaning  of  Directive  89/552/EEC8  and  radio
broadcasting  are  not  Information  Society  services  because  they  are  not  provided  at
individual  request.  As  convergent  services  develop,  switching  between  real  and
simulated  interactivity  is  increasingly  easy,  so  the  distinction  between  broadcasting
services and  Information Society services will be increasingly difficult for end-users  to

6

7

8

Article 1 of Directive 98/34/EC as amended by Directive 98/48/EC, OJ L 217, 5.8.1998, p. 18.
See recital 18 of Directive 2000/31/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June
2000 on certain legal aspects of information society services, in particular electronic commerce, in
the  Internal  Market,  OJ  L  178,  17.7.2000,  p.  1.  Information  Society  services,  as  ‘protected
services’, are also covered by Directive 98/84/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
of 20 November 1998 on the legal protection of services based on and consisting of conditional
access, OJ L 320, 28.11.1998, p. 54, and also feature in the Directive of the European Parliament
and of the Council on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the
Member States relating to the advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products (to be published).
Directive  97/36/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  30  June  1997  amending
Council  Directive  89/552/EEC  on  the  co-ordination  of  certain  provisions  laid  down  by  law,
regulation  or  administrative  action  in  Member  States  concerning  the  pursuit  of  television
broadcasting activities, OJ L 202, 30.7.1997, p. 60.

8

                                                
see9.  In  a  multi-platform  environment,  many  service  providers  will  increasingly  use
broadcasting  techniques  to  distribute  their  services  to  their  subscribers  and  customers.
This does not render their services television broadcasting services within the meaning of
the directive.

Information  Society  services  can  therefore  cover  at  least:  (1)  on-line  transactional
services,  e.g.,  buying  goods  on-line;  and  (2)  information,  research  and  other  on-line
services,  such  as,  travel  timetables,  catalogues,  libraries  and  interactive  games10.
Consumers  today  are  familiar  with  many  different  kinds  of  public  and  commercial
services both off-line and on-line. The primary focus of this document, as requested by
Barcelona and Seville, is access to Information Society services11 via open platforms but
this  focus  will  occasionally  be  stretched  to  reflect  the  blurring  caused  by  converging
markets.

1.3.

Interoperability

The European Telecommunications Standardisation  Institute (ETSI) in STF228, defines
interoperability (from a supplier’s point of view) as “the capability to provide successful
communication  between  end-users  across  a  mixed  environment  of  different  domains,
networks, facilities, equipment, etc. from different manufacturers and  (or) providers. In
this context the communication is meant between end-users or between an end-user and
a service provider.”

For  a  network  operator,  this  means  the  ability  to  inter-work  with  other  networks  and
provide seamless  services  to users; to a  content provider  or  service  provider,  it  implies
the ability to be able to run an application or service on any suitable delivery platform.

For  a  consumer,  interoperability  can  mean  ideally  the  ability  to  acquire  the  relevant
terminal  device  “and  begin  to  consume  and  pay  for  services,  without  having  prior
knowledge which services would be consumed, in a simple way”12. However, in future
interactive service environments, distinctions between supplier and consumer will begin
to  blur.  It  is  expected  that  users  will  begin  to  enrich  and  create  their  own  content  and
services, becoming both suppliers and consumers of services at the same time.

9

10

11

12

Since  the  relevant  technology  is  evolving  rapidly,  the  Commission  will  continue  to  monitor
technological  developments.  Periodic  regulatory  assessments  will  be  undertaken,  such  as  the
Fourth Report on the application of Directive 89/552/EEC, where the Commission said that it was
not aiming to challenge the distinction  made  in  the  acquis  communautaire  between  Information
Society  services  and  services  covered  by  the  TV  without  frontiers  directive,  COM  (2002)  778
final.  As  convergence  becomes  more  of  a  market  reality,  technological  neutrality  of  regulation
should  be  an  important  policy  principle.  This  would  mean  that,  ideally,  definitions  should  be
service-based  (e.g.,  audio-visual  service,  datacasting)  rather  than  network/platform-based  (e.g.,
digital television, mobile communications).
eGovernment services, such as eLearning and eHealth, are not provided for remuneration and may
therefore  fall  outside  of  this  definition,  but  they  nonetheless  do  fulfil  the  other  criteria  of
Information Society services. See: Cases 263/85 [1988] ECR 5365, 352/85 [1988] ECR 2085.
Although  this  communication  does  not  address  barriers  that  might  hinder  free  movement  of
products,  Member  States  should  be  similarly  vigilant  to  avoid  creating  barriers  to  the  free
movement of technical equipment. The development of the Information Society should take into
account  not  only  the  opportunity  to  provide  widespread  access  to  Information  Society  services,
but also the need to avoid technical or administrative barriers for technical equipment.
See the charter of the Open Platform Initiative for Multimedia Access (OPIMA),
http://opima.telecomitalialab.com/opima_charter.htm.

9

                                                
The interconnection of networks, interoperability of services and technical compatibility
of  equipment  have  been  the  primary  tools  to  liberalise  and  harmonise  the  EU
telecommunications sector over the last two decades and remain important for achieving
a pan-European market. These three factors – affecting networks, services and terminals
– will continue to be the primary focus in the context of creating an Information Society
for  all.  Much  standardisation  work  has  already  been  done  in  the  network  layer  while
attention is now focussing on services  and applications and on  end-user terminals.  In  a
multi-platform  environment,  new  architectures  of  interoperability  will  need  to  be
achieved: between the same kind of devices in a single platform, e.g. mobile to mobile,
between different devices  across  platforms,  e.g., mobile to PC, digital TV to  mobile  or
Internet; IP data cast to mobile or TV; and between devices and servers with multi-device
and  multiple  access  possibilities,  e.g.,  between  different  end  user  terminals,  using
different access methods to a single server or to several servers.

Interoperability and inter-working of networks, services and terminals are desirable, but
an  Information  Society  does  not  depend  on  total  interconnection/interoperability/inter-
working between all terminals, services and networks, as long as consumers have choices
as to their services and the platforms over which they can  access their desired services.
Operators in the value chain - including those in 3G mobile communications and digital
television services - recognise the value of interoperability of their service offerings with
those of other service providers.

Once  industry  has  decided  on  the  need  for  a  common  standard  or  standards  in  a  given
area, the  Commission  can  facilitate  the  standardisation  process,  for  example,  by  giving
mandates  to  the  European  standards  bodies,  but  it  would  be  inappropriate  for  the
Commission to try to second guess the optimum market outcome and impose a standard
in the absence of consensus among interested parties.

1.4.

Economic benefits and costs of interoperability

Interoperability  is  highly  desirable  in  a  multi-platform  environment.  It  can  create
economies of scale that allow lower costs of production and distribution and ultimately
lead to lower  prices for  consumers. This in turn can promote  rapid  deployment  of  new
products and  services  which  can  accelerate  how  quickly  critical  mass  is  reached.  As  is
often the case in electronic communications services, complementary services may be as
important in promoting the success of the initial service or product as in achieving their
own  success.  Interoperability  between  all  complementary  platforms  will  encourage  the
deployment of a wider range of services and can contribute to the substitutability as well
as  the  inter-changeability  of  services.  This  will  ultimately  break  down  product  market
boundaries  and  create  larger  markets.  These  features  result  overall  in  higher  levels  of
competition resulting in greater innovation and lower consumer prices.

On  the  other  hand,  standards  can  lead  to  a  diminished  incentive  to  innovate  in  the
standardised area. It can also result in reduced competition between platforms and service
providers seeking to capture the entire market with a vertically integrated product.

Assessing the relative costs and benefits in advance will often be impossible. Fortunately,
it may never be necessary to do so. Platform owners and the information communications
technology  sector  often  have  incentives  to  adopt  open  standards,  as  complementary
products may play an important role in the development of these markets. For instance, if
we  look  at  the  Internet,  the  ability  to  access,  sell  and  have  content  developed  over  the

10

Internet overrides any tendency for network specific content development.  It is not that
platform  owners  would  not  like  to  have  a  closed  standard  and  control  of  the  market;
rather it is a realisation that attempting to do so is likely to result in the exact opposite.

1.5.

Application Program Interfaces (APIs)

Interoperability  of  services  provided  over  networks  typically  requires  access  to  the
interface  software  of  the  application  –  the  application  program  interface  (API).  Third
parties  that  wish  to  develop  interoperable  services  require  access13  to  (1)  the  technical
specifications of APIs and (2) to the developmental tools needed to design new services
and  to  operate  them  over  the  platform.  It  is  also  important  that  once  an  interoperable
application  has  been  developed,  the  third  party  has  a  right  to  make  use  of  the
specifications without undue legal or commercial restrictions. Otherwise the benefits of
new developments may not become widely available.

1.6.

Open Platforms and their Benefits

The  Barcelona  Summit  endorsed  ‘open  platforms’  because  they  are  associated  with
greater  freedom  of  choice  for  citizens  to  applications  and  services  of  the  Information
Society.  The  isolated  ‘islands  of  connectivity’  analogy  that  was  used  earlier  for
inter-operable,
infrastructures  could  progressively  become  more 
communications 
provided that third parties have access to proprietary APIs. However, this may not be the
most efficient way forward.

The openness of  a service  delivery  platform  is  determined  by  its  APIs,  which  may  use
open standards, open source software or proprietary technology.

Open  standards  are  consensus-based  (involving  all  stakeholders,  including  consumer
organisation representatives), publicly available, transparently  agreed and commercially
exploitable  on  a  fair,  reasonable  and  non-discriminatory  basis.  Open  standards  are
developed  by  a  large  grouping  of  different  industry  representatives  that  agree  and
maintain  the  standards.  Open  API  standards  that  have  been  agreed  in  such  a
standardisation process lead to open platforms. The development and implementation of
such consensus-based, open, standards rely on market players seeing such an approach as
being  in  their  best  commercial  interest,  usually  because  common  standards  will  in  the
long term promote and enlarge the market.

APIs may be based on open source software. Open Source Software (OSS) is free to use,
change, study, copy and re-distribute, where the code is openly published without fail. It
is  often  developed  and  exchanged  by  voluntary  efforts14.  The  third  party  access  to  the
technical specifications of APIs needed to design new services and to operate them over
the  platform  is  available  with  open  source  software,  thus  leading  to  an  open  service
delivery platform.

13

14

Access  in  this  sense  means  the  ability  of  a  commercial  party  to  make  use  of  the  technology,
network element or platform environment of another undertaking.
DG INFSO has created a dedicated web site on open source software at
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/topics/citizens/index_en.htm.

11

                                                
Delivery  platforms  using  proprietary  APIs  could  voluntarily  or,  if  required  by  law,  be
obliged  to,  make  available  the  technical  specifications  of  the  APIs  to  third  parties  to
ensure access and interoperability of services15. The proprietary nature of the technology
means  that  the  developer  remains  in  control  of  the  evolution  of  the  technical
specifications.

A  general  feature  of  innovation  in  networked  technologies  often  involves  the  re-
combination of existing technologies so that new applications and infrastructure are built
on top of existing systems in a cumulative fashion. This re-uses existing technologies in
innovative  and  unintended  ways.  The  resulting  interdependencies  between  existing  and
new  networked  technologies  have  made  interconnection  and  interoperability  core
principles in newly emerging networks and services.

Different market players will emphasise different facets of interoperability and openness.
These concepts reflect (1) the degree to which all service providers can  exploit  the  full
functionality offered by any service delivery platform; (2) the degree to which they can
contribute to its on-going development; and (3) the degree to which consumers can enjoy
the greatest possible choice in services and the means by which they are accessed.

to  achieve  acceptable 

Operators  currently  developing  the  next  generation  of  services  in  an  anticipated  multi-
levels  of  voluntary
platform  environment  are  expected 
standardisation, whether in interface technology or in data format technology (described
below in Section 3.3), to achieve interoperability of services. Their business models rely
on creating a critical mass of demand, that will generate viable new markets which will
in turn drive rapid consumer adoption, possibly resulting in competitive service offerings
between  operators,  and  at  least  creating  different  service  offerings  between  platforms.
Thus,  the  use  of  specific  interface  technology  in  a  service  delivery  platform  should
normally be a matter of commercial choice.

2.

AN OVERVIEW OF CURRENT TRENDS

At  present,  end-user  access  to  electronic  services  typically  occurs  with  a  personal
computer  (PC)  via  the  Internet  where  uptake  in  the  EU  continues  at  about  40%  of
households16.  A  majority  of  current  home  Internet  users  have  a  PC  with  dial-up
(narrowband) access over the telephone network, but a growing percentage use xDSL or
a  cable  modem  for  broadband  services17.  Alternate  forms  of  customer  access  are

15

16

17

Access to platforms using proprietary APIs can, where public policy necessitates, be imposed by
law,  as  was  the  case  with  Open  Network  Provision  –  a  Community  policy  that  mandated
transparent,  cost-oriented  and  non-discriminatory  access  to  an  incumbent  telecommunications
operator’s networks prior to complete liberalisation of the telecommunications sector in 1998, and
is the case in conditional access systems in digital TV and radio in the new regulatory framework.
However, such mandated access is not appropriate in all markets and can have the disadvantage of
discouraging investment in innovation by a platform operator. In the new regulatory framework,
access  obligations  on  networks  can  be  imposed  only  on  undertakings  with  significant  market
power.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/eurostat/Public/datashop/print-
product/EN?catalogue=Eurostat&product=1-ir031-EN&mode=download.
For  recent  developments  in  broadband,  see  the  8th  Report  from  the  Commission  on  the
Implementation of the Telecoms Regulatory Package, at:
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/topics/telecoms/implementation/annual_report/8threport/f
inalreport/com2002_0695en01.pdf.

12

                                                
possible: internet access via satellite combines a high-speed downlink from the satellite
to  the  PC  with  a  return  path  provided  over  the  normal  telephone  or  cable  network.
Television  receivers,  equipped  with  a  set  top  box  and  a  connection  to  the  PSTN,  can
provide Internet access, together with SMS and email services; fixed line telephones with
small screens and some extra software can provide email, SMS and basic Internet access.
Mobile Internet services currently use the GPRS18 (2.5G) technology for users to access
services  such  as  news,  travel  info,  sports  and  e-mail  on  the  move,  while  the  3G
technology (UMTS) will offer higher data rates.

PCs allow both the use and creation of Information Society services. Computers – both
clients  and  servers  -  are  likely  to  remain  at  the  very  heart  of  the  Information  Society.
Separate  clusters  of  PCs  and  consumer  electronics  devices  will 
increasingly
communicate  with  each  other,  creating  ‘digital  home’  environments.  However,
consumers  are  not  expected  to  consume  digital  content  in  a  passive  fashion;  they  will
create, customise and share rich multimedia content with each other. Thus the PC will be
a platform for both  the  creation  of,  and  a  major  access  device  for,  Information  Society
services.  Ultimately,  it  is  likely  to  form  part  of  a  multi-platform  environment  that  will
include  mobile  communications,  digital  radio  and  television  services  as  well  as  other
access  technologies,  and  where  interoperability  across  these  different  platforms  will  be
important.

Delivery  of  some  Information  Society  services,  particularly  the  multi-media  services,
will  require  a  broadband  delivery  system  to  the  consumer.  Digital  television  networks
(satellite,  terrestrial  and  cable)  offer  one  such  platform,  3G  mobile  networks  another.19
With  the  exception  of  cable,  television  networks  have  traditionally  been  one-way
communications  systems,  but  a  return  channel  is  a  necessary  part  of  an  Information
Society service and hybrid systems combining elements of both technologies will appear.

In  addition  to  the  3G  and  digital  television  technologies  that  are  the  focus  of  this
Communication,  other  technologies  will  compete  as  delivery  mechanisms,  in  particular
xDSL,  last  mile  ethernet,  fibre  to  the  curb,  Internet  via  cable  TV  networks  and  the
wireless technologies of ‘W-LANs’ and digital audio broadcasting (DAB).

Internet  take-up  and  mobile  telephony  have  both  experienced  huge  growth  in  Europe
over  the  past  decade.  Over  the  next  ten  years,  high  bandwidth  wired  Internet  access  –
broadband - is likely to be available to most households. Television receivers and mobile
handsets,  already  quite  widespread,  will  continue  to  have  high  penetration  levels.
Because  of  cost  and  lack  of  familiarity  for  certain  groups,  PCs  are  unlikely  to  reach
penetration levels of TV or mobile communications. Other electronic consumer devices
which can be connected to networks, such as personal digital assistants or hybrid devices,
are likewise unlikely to reach the same levels of penetration  as  TV  receivers  or mobile
handsets. However, they may form part of a complementary home platform or extended
home  platform  environment  using  several  delivery  platforms  to  different  end  user
terminals.

18

19

‘General Packet Radio Service’.
See COM(2002) 43 final.

13

                                                
If a return channel is available, digital TV can provide a means of accessing Information
Society  services.  Alongside  digital  TV,  3G  mobile  is  an  alternative  to  the  Internet/PC
paradigm for access to Information Society services.

The  digital  audio  broadcasting  system  (DAB)  is  an  effective  means  to  deliver  one-to-
many data to a mobile environment providing a robust digital ‘container’ with as much or
more data capacity than 3G mobile. DAB can be used on its own or in combination with
other systems, e.g., Internet, mobile phone, to form a hybrid service.

Future devices will combine the power of the PC, especially with respect to management,
storage, and  processing capabilities,  with  the convenience and  ease-of-use  of  consumer
electronics devices. One important future aspect of interoperability will be the ability of
these  combined  devices  to  discover,  configure,  and  control  the  capabilities  of  peer
devices  and  to  negotiate  common  protocols  and  media  formats  for  multimedia  content
distribution.

Other platforms that could play a role in accessing Information Society services are DAB
and IP datacasting. DAB is based on an open European standard for digital radio and data
broadcasting  services  and  is  particularly  suitable  for  reception  in  moving  vehicles.  In
combination  with  a  return  channel,  it  could  be  used  to  access  Information  Society
services. In some AM bands, digital radio could cover the whole of Europe with a single
transmitter.  IP  datacasting  allows  the  diverse  content  from  digital  TV,  DAB,  3G  and
others,  to  be  offered  over  a  multi-platform  datacasting  environment  by  the  use  of  the
Internet  Protocol  (IP).  Both  digital  TV  and  mobile  communications  platforms  are
expected  to  make  use  of  IP  datacasting.  This  would  give  rise  to  interoperable  services
and applications on all networks using the protocol.

3.

TELEVISION SERVICE DELIVERY PLATFORMS

TV  broadcasting  is  currently  offered  over  both  analogue  and  digital  technologies,  and
both  are  offered  via  cable,  satellite  and  terrestrial  transmission  technologies.  These
different  technologies  have  reached  varying  stages  of  commercial  maturity,  consumer
and  commercial  acceptance,  physical  roll-out  and  household  penetration.  Since  this
Communication identifies barriers to widespread access to Information Society services
in digital TV, no detailed examination of the complex issues surrounding the evolution of
digital television broadcasting can be made. However, the evolution of digital television
will affect the ability of the still-nascent (in European-wide terms) digital TV platform to
evolve  towards  a  meaningful  service  delivery  platform  for  interactive  services  and
Information Society services.

Interactive  services  on  digital  TV  are  commonly  understood  to  cover  both  ‘enhanced
broadcasting’  and ‘true  interactivity’.  ‘Enhanced  broadcasting’  means  that  applications,
data and multimedia services can be incorporated into the video stream (just once or in a
continuous  loop)  and  made  available  either  upon  a  viewer’s  selection  in  real  time,  or
stored  on  the  hard  disk,  thus  allowing  for  ‘local  interactivity’.  This  service  would  not
the  ‘individual  request’  criterion  of  Information  Society  services.  ‘True
fulfil 
interactivity’ refers to a request by an individual transmitted through a ‘return channel’ to
which the service provider replies by supplying individually requested data and services
separately  from  the  main  video  programme.  Switching  between  real  and  simulated
interactivity is increasingly easy, so the distinction will be increasingly difficult for end-

14

users  to  see.  A  consumer’s  choice  to  take  up  digital  TV  at  present  is  less  likely  to  be
linked  to  accessing  interactive  services  and  more  likely  to  be  driven  by  an  interest  in
accessing content (whether premium quality or greater quantity).

3.1.

Digital TV

Digital television broadcasting technology allows for significant improvement in terms of
transmission capacity (number of channels and services), picture quality and information
management.  While  free  to  air20  analogue  television21  covers  close  to  100%  of
households,  the  chart  below  (Figure  1)  shows  that  digital  TV  penetration  is  for  the
moment  considerably  beneath  that  level22.  It  also  demonstrates  that  digital  TV
penetration  has  achieved  30%  or  more  in  three  Member  States.  Digital  TV  has  so  far
developed  in  the  context  of  ‘traditional’  pay-TV,  i.e.,  based  on  multi-channel  and
premium content. Experience in the UK suggests that the level of penetration of pay-TV
might  stabilise  once  a  certain  level  is  reached;  however,  additional  factors,  such  as
enhanced and interactive TV services and improved picture quality, may enlarge it still
further.

Figure 1:

Penetration of Digital TV in the EU (estimates for 2002)

(in millions and in percentage of national households)

Total HH Total Digital TV HH
TV HH
0.36
0.23
0.92
0.22
4.97
4.14
0.22
0.32
3.13
0.01
1.16
0.34
3.21
1.44
11.51
32.2
44.95
6.7

3.3
4.3
2.4
2.3
25,1
37.9
3.6
1.3
20.1
0.2
7.1
3.6
12.8
4.6
26.3
154.73
118
41.9

%
10.7%
5.2%
38.9%
9.4%
19.8%
10.9%
6.0%
24.4%
15.6%
5.3%
16.5%
9.6%
25.1%
31.6%
43.8%
20.8%
38.1%
16.0%

Cable DTV
%
2.1%
5.0%
23.6%
1.6%
3.8%
5.1%
0.0%
4.4%
0.1%
1.0%
6.4%
1.1%
0.4%
10.0%
12.3%
5.2%
18.5%
0.0%

TV HH
0.07
0.22
055
0.04
0.95
1.94
0.00
0.06
0.02
0.00
0.45
0.04
0.05
0.46
3.23
8.1
21.8
0

Satellite DTV
%
8.7%
0.2%
15.3%
7.3%
16.0%
5.8%
6.0%
20.0%
15.4%
4.2%
9.8%
8.0%
21.8%
18.4%
23.7%
13.9%
19.1%
16.0%

TV HH
0.29
0.01
0.36
0.17
4.02
2.21
022
0.26
3.11
0.01
0.69
0.29
2.78
0.84
6.22
21.5
22.55
6.7

Terrestrial DTV
TV HH
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.02
0.02
0.38
0.15
2.06
2.6
0.6
0

%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.5%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
0.3%
0.5%
3.0%
3.2%
7.8%
1.7%
0.5%
0.0%

Austria
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
UK
TOTAL EU
US
Japan

Source: Eighth Report on the Implementation of the Telecommunications Regulatory Package  [COM(2002)  695
final], annex 2 (‘regulatory data’), section 11 (‘digital television’) available at
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/topics/telecoms/implementation/annual_report/8threport/index_en.htm
and Strategy Analytics, “Interactive Digital TV market forecast data”, October 2002.

For  digital  terrestrial  television  reception,  most  end-users  have  attached  an  adapter  to
their  existing  analogue  TV  set.  But  not  every  digital  terrestrial  TV  adapter  provides  a

20

21

22

‘Free  to  air’  television  covers  transmission  by  cable,  satellite  and  terrestrial  technologies  but
excludes  services  to  which  access  is  limited  by  conditional  access  system  such  as  pay-TV
services.
Analogue  television  receivers  are  compatible  with  any  analogue  technology  and  are  able  to
receive terrestrial, cable or satellite broadcasting.
Digital television penetration in this context covers households with at least one digital television
receiver of any kind (i.e., a set-top box).

15

                                                
return channel. Many adapters do not include a modem and have no provision to attach
one. Those households will therefore not have access to Information Society services, (as
defined above), despite having access to digital television services. Having the possibility
for a return channel will be a matter of consumer  choice in most  cases but the level of
consumer interest will be influenced by the attractiveness of the services on offer.

Digital  cable TV has  the  advantage of  an ‘always on’ return  channel  and  therefore  can
support  the  provision  of  Information  Society  services  from  roll-out.  However,  digital
cable  TV  does  not  represent  a  significant  percentage  of  the  30  million  digital  TV
receivers currently installed in Europe. The API software in digital cable TV is primarily
proprietary.

In satellite digital TV, the end-user will connect a set-top box to his analogue set or will
use an integrated digital TV set to receive programming. A ‘return channel’ would still
be needed for the provision of interactive services. The API software in digital satellite
TV is also primarily proprietary.

3.2.

Barriers to the roll out of an open digital TV services delivery platform

Barriers  to  accessing  Information  Society  services  over  digital  TV  service  delivery
platforms should be distinguished from barriers to the roll-out of digital TV, the latter of
which involves largely commercial and regulatory challenges described briefly in chapter
5.  Open  platforms  are  desirable  because  they  enhance  consumer  access  and  can  offer
greater user choice. If the interface technologies of digital TV are open, then services and
applications  are  able  to  inter-work  between  different  service  providers  and  end-users
would be able to access more easily the different services and content of the third parties
with which the service delivery platform operator contracted.

Digital  television  was  initially  offered  in  Europe  as  a  pay-TV  service  by  vertically
integrated  service  providers  using  satellite  transmission  technology  and  conditional
access systems. As no European standard for interactive TV was available at the start of
the market, early implementations in Europe used proprietary APIs in the set-top boxes.
The  roll-out  of  digital  TV  using  proprietary  APIs  is  not  unusual  in  dynamic  and
embryonic markets. To create a successful market, pay-TV and cable operators invested
considerable sums in services, infrastructure and receivers for broadcasting.

With  currently  deployed  technology,  particularly  in  the  digital  pay-TV  market,  in  the
absence of open APIs between networks  and services, it  is possible for  operators  using
proprietary technology to bundle all the elements of electronic services and, because the
proprietary  technology  may  be  unavailable  to  third  parties,  it  may  limit  the  customer’s
choice of services.

Recognising the value of an open API in digital TV services capable of deployment on
all  digital  technologies,  the  Digital  Video  Broadcasting  Project23  (DVB)  developed  the
Multi-media  Home  Platform  specifications  (‘MHP’)  which  have  been  recognised  and
endorsed  by  the  European  Standards  Organisation  (ETSI).  Deployment  of  this

23

The  Digital  Video  Broadcasting  Project  (DVB)  is  an  industry-led  consortium  of  over  300
broadcasters, manufacturers, network operators, software developers, regulatory bodies and others
in  over  35  countries  committed  to  designing  global  standards  for  the  global  delivery  of  digital
television and data services.

16

                                                
technology  is  at  an  early  stage.  A  business  choice  to  migrate  to  an  open  second
generation API, such as MHP, from proprietary technology would need to be based on a
sustainable business plan which takes into account existing investment and the evolving
needs of customers.

Particular concerns about the interoperability of digital TV services prompted the EU to
establish policy tools in relation to digital TV services. The Commission has taken action
under  Article  17  of  Directive  2002/21/EC  (‘the  Framework  Directive’)  to  promote  the
interoperability  of  digital  TV  services  with  a  view  to  improving  freedom  of  choice  for
users  by  including  the  ‘Multi-media  Home  Platform’  (MHP)  standards  in  the  ‘list  of
standards  and/or  specifications  for  electronic  communications  networks,  services  and
associated facilities and services’ published  under  Article  1724.  Under  article  18  of  the
Framework Directive, Member States must now encourage the use of an open API by (1)
all  providers  of  digital  interactive  television  services  and  (2)  all  providers  of  enhanced
digital TV equipment25. Industry is therefore encouraged to use open APIs such as MHP.
Choosing  MHP  for  ‘greenfield’  markets  would  notably  avoid  the  migration  and  legacy
issues of pay-TV systems. Commission follow up action is described in section 6.2.2.

To facilitate a voluntary deployment of MHP, various Memoranda of Understanding and
migration plans have been agreed at national and regional level between broadcasters and
manufacturers. This may result in the use of the  MHP standard  in particular  for free to
view  TV  for  new  interactive  digital  TV  services  in  areas  without  any  current  digital
television  penetration.  Broadcasters,  mobile  operators  and  consumer  equipment
manufacturers  are  actively  exploring  the  possibilities  offered  by  the  joint  utilisation  of
their infrastructures and the complementary delivery of new services which could equally
benefit  from  the  use  of  open  interoperable  standards  (as  was  the  case  with  GSM,  the
second generation mobile standard) and which include benefits of economies of scale.

Because  public  authorities  control  terrestrial  spectrum  linked  to  digital  terrestrial  TV,
they have traditionally mandated standards in order to maximise efficient use of a scarce
resource.  Public  authorities  retain  the  ability  to  impose  standards  as  a  condition  of
spectrum  usage  under  the  new  regulatory  framework26.  The  DVB-T  transmission
standard27  provides  for  full  interoperability  of  transmission  and  reception  of  television
services.  Terrestrial  TV  has  limited  capacity  available  for  interactive  television  and
receiving equipment has to be reasonably priced in order to drive economies of scale.

3.3.

Re-authoring and multi-authoring

Part  of  the  difficulty  in  digital  TV  is  related  to  the  provision  of  the  same  content  over
different  service  delivery  platforms.  Content  that  is  created  for  cable,  satellite  or
terrestrial  digital  TV  networks  usually  will  not  work  on  another  network  without
adaptation. Likewise, there is a certain degree of content incompatibility within the same
TV  network  when  different  APIs  are  used  as  sometimes  happens.  In  markets  where

24

25

26

27

OJ C 331, 31.12.2002, p. 32.
OJ L 108, 24.4.2002, p. 33.
Under the terms of Article 6 and Part B of the Annex, in the Authorisation Directive (Directive
2002/20/EC of 7 March 2002, of the European Parliament and of the Council on the authorisation
of electronic communications networks and services, OJ L 108, 24.4.2002, p. 21.
The  digital  terrestrial  television  transmission  system  developed  by  the  DVB  Digital  Video
Broadcasting Project, standardised as ETSI EN 300 744.

17

                                                
different APIs are in use, interactive television applications have to be ‘re-authored’ for
each API. This adds costs for service and content providers which is a particular problem
for  operators  in  small  markets28.  Using  current  technology,  this  approach  represents  at
best only an interim solution to the challenge of interoperability of content over different
digital TV platforms.

In  the  longer  term,  an  alternative  to  re-authoring  may  make  this  costly  process
superfluous.  Improvements  in  software  authoring  tools  may  ultimately  make  multiple
authoring  (“multi-authoring”)  an  attractive  and  cost  effective  approach  to  content
creation.  Broadcasting  content  could  in  future  -  in  the  alternative  -  be  created  in  a
standard  data  format,  such  as  XML,  so  that  a  greater  degree  of  interoperability  can  be
achieved.  This  is  the  approach  used  on  the  Internet  to  provide  interoperable  content,
which can be read by a browser or a simple API called a presentation engine. By creating
content  using  a  standardised  data  format  approach,  the  costs  of  re-authoring  of
applications can be avoided.

3.4.

Third-party access to APIs in the new regulatory framework

The  transport  or  transmission  level,  i.e.,  the  transmission  signal  itself,  is  already
standardised in digital TV – whether cable, satellite or terrestrial - and has been from its
inception. It is at the level of consumer access to interactive services, i.e., APIs in set-top
boxes,  that  serve  as  gateways  to  interactive  services,  that  have  created  bottlenecks  and
have  been  addressed  in  Community  law.  These  regulatory  tools  were  created  for  the
purposes of achieving openness, interoperability and access by both consumers and third
parties to digital TV services.

Access  to  the  API  technology  in  conditional  access  systems  for  digital  TV  and  digital
radio  can  be  obtained  by  third  parties  under  the  new  electronic  communications
regulatory framework. Article 5(1)(b) of the Access Directive29 gives NRAs the right to
impose obligations on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms where necessary to
ensure  accessibility  for  end-users  to  digital  radio  and  TV  broadcasting  services.  Two
complementary  provisions  in  the  Framework  Directive  require  Member  States  (1)  to
encourage interactive digital TV operators to use an open API for interactive services and
(2)  independently  of  the  possible  action  by  NRAs  under  the  above  provisions  of  the
Access Directive, to encourage access on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms
to proprietary APIs when necessary to allow interactive service providers to deliver their
services  in  fully  functional  form.  In  the  context  of  digital  TV  services  therefore,
Community law provides for access by third parties to all  API  technology necessary  to
allow interactive service providers to deliver their services in fully functional form, while
promoting interoperability of interactive services via the provisions of Articles 17 and 18
of the Framework Directive, described further below.

28

29

An additional 5-15% was cited by DVB as typical, but some DVB members consider it could be
higher, depending inter alia on the type of application.
Directive 2002/19/EC of 7 March 2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council on access
to,  and  interconnection  of,  electronic  communications  networks  and  associated  facilities,  OJ
L 108, 24.4.2002, p. 7.

18

                                                
4.

THIRD GENERATION MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS

The  mobile  telecommunications  industry  is  evolving  from  being  primarily  voice
telephony service providers (with extra features like SMS) to delivering mobile data and
multi-media services.  Improved network technologies and  software  in  3G  will  improve
the  range  of  services  and  applications  available,  particularly  by  increasing  the  speed  at
which  services  will  run  over  these  networks.  This  will  enhance  the  usability  and
interactivity  of  services,  such  as  sending  multi-media  messages,  booking  of  tickets,
downloading video clips, banking and payment transactions and location-based services,
such as finding a local restaurant. Interoperability (device-device) within a given domain,
e.g., between a digital mobile phone and another, and interoperability across platforms,
e.g., between a Personal Digital Assistant or mobile phone and a PC will be particularly
important given the business models and variety of service offerings that are developing.

Additionally,  interoperability  (device-server)  between  an  application  server  (regarding
software  and  content)  and  a  multitude  of  access  methods  and  devices  will  be  a  key
requirement  for  the  widespread  uptake  of  innovative  mobile  devices,  services  and
applications.  For  example,  end-users  would  expect  interoperability  between  any  Multi-
media Message Service (MMS) enabled GPRS terminals and the servers of any service
provider.  M-payment models  constitute a  significant  challenge  to  mobile  operators;  the
systematic use of third party services will require revenue sharing arrangements between
providers  of  network  services  and  content  services.  In  this  context,  open  interoperable
solutions  are  needed  across  all  platforms  for  security  functions,  such  as  authentication
and encryption for access control and confidentiality.

The  Commission  welcomes  an  industry-led  effort  to  establish  interoperability  testing
(IoT) initiatives aimed at overcoming any interoperability barriers, either at the terminal
(device) layer or network layer or service and applications layer. Interoperability testing
is essential to ensure an acceptable quality of service and to reap the large-scale benefits
created by a critical mass of satisfied users (the 'network effect’).

The Commission’s Communication on the roll-out of 3G mobile communications noted
the importance of an open mobile environment and recognised that industry had already
initiated efforts to find solutions for the challenges of openness and interoperability via
the  creation  of  the  Open  Mobile  Alliance30.  The  Commission  will  monitor  the  value
chain  surrounding  the  offer  of  3G  mobile  services  and  would  consider  action  if  the
evolution  of  3G  towards  an  open  and  competitive  service  environment  would  be
jeopardised by proprietary solutions chosen by individual players.

Barriers to accessing Information Society services over 3G platforms are not the same as
barriers to  the  roll out of 3G networks.  In  general, consumers  should  be  able  to  access
services  and  applications  of  the  Information  Society  with  full  functionality  on  a  single
mobile terminal device, if they so choose, within the technical constraints of the device.

The Commission’s  Communication  of  June  2002,  ‘Towards  the  Full  Roll-Out  of  Third
Generation Mobile Communications’31 reviewed the situation of the 3G sector from the
financial, technical, market and regulatory perspectives. It pointed to the rapid growth in

30

31

The  Open  Mobile  Alliance  is  composed  of  handset  manufacturers,  network  operators  and
application developers.
COM(2002) 301 final.

19

                                                
data traffic in the form of short message services (SMS), which points the way towards
more sophisticated services making use of 3G. The challenges inherent specifically in the
commercial  deployment  of  3G  networks  primarily  relate  to:  regulatory  hurdles,
administrative delays, uncertainties over infrastructure sharing and secondary trading and
restrictions  on  antenna  placements  usually  based  on  health  concerns.  The  challenge
associated with creating successful business models is generic to every service delivery
platform.

The attraction of mobile handsets as delivery platforms lies in their already high levels of
penetration.  The  penetration  of  mobile  communications  (second  generation,  GSM
standard) is approaching 80% of  the population  throughout the EU. However the small
screen  size  affects  the  ability  to  access  and  view  web  content  from  such  a  device.
Technology  is  likely  to  develop  in  ways  to  overcome  this  limitation  given  the
commercial incentives to offer Internet and video content as part of mobile data services.

Each  3G  mobile  operator  is  expected  to  develop  and  operate  its  own  configuration  of
network  infrastructure  and  services  with  a  view  to  creating  a  distinctive  commercial
presence  and  offering.  Mobile  operators  are  expected  to  offer  a  variety  of  ‘service
packages’ depending on the type of customer targeted, i.e., a combination of voice, SMS,
email, information and multi-media services. Although each bundle of service offerings
would limit the services available to each subscriber, access to the Internet and Internet-
type services are likely to be a key part of any service offering. Consumers are likely to
want access to the Internet and to Information Society services – some of which they will
also want to access in the home or office environment - while on the move and travelling.
Mobile  Internet  access  (where  IPv6  will  have  an  important  role  in  supporting  mobile
services) is therefore likely to make a significant contribution to a multi-platform service
environment of the future.

In practice, attractive service offerings by 3G mobile operators will include access to the
services of other service providers, for  example, in order to download short video  clips
from a content provider. To deliver these mobile data services, 3G operators will need to
ensure  interoperability  between  the  software  in  the  end-user’s  handset  and  the  third
party’s services software. APIs will be  required in the handset to interface between the
third party’s service software and the handset. Network operators, handset manufacturers,
services developers and other market players may develop their own unique applications
and  innovative  services  at  the  outset,  such  that  new  offerings  may  not  initially  inter-
operate  across  all  networks  or  between  all  service  providers.  To  ensure  an  acceptable
standard of service initially, operators are likely to retain tight control over all aspects of
the offering from launch, possibly for a transitional period.

In  a  multi-platform  environment,  some  users  may  wish  to  receive  public  broadcasting
services via delivery platforms other than  digital TV. This may  well  include  2G,  2.5G,
and  3G  mobile  communications  devices.  In  that  environment,  issues  relating  to  open
standards  and  interoperability  arise  in  the  use  of  digital  mobile  devices  to  carry
multimedia services. Operating systems and programming interfaces are needed, as they
are for digital television broadcasting services.

Standardisation activities in mobile communications are taking place at many levels. The
Open  Mobile  Alliance  is  a  focal  point  of  mobile  services  specifications  working  with
other organisations and industry groups. In the mobile services specification work, four
key principles are applied: (1) products and services are based on open, global standards,

20

protocols and interfaces; (2) the applications layer is bearer agnostic (e.g., GSM, GPRS,
EDGE,  CDMA,  UMTS);  (3)  the  architectural  framework  and  service  enablers  are
independent of operating systems; and (4) applications and platforms are interoperable.

Industry has recognised the need for interoperability and the activities above demonstrate
that  it  is  already  working  together  to  ensure  that  3G  services  inter-work  seamlessly,
independent  of  the  network  operator  or  terminal  manufacturer,  and  despite  any
differences in underlying standards. In a world of multiple equipment vendors, network
operators  and  service  providers,  interoperability  should  be  achieved  while  preserving
competitive  implementation  of  product  and  service  offerings.  The  Commission  will
continue to foster the production of high quality open standards and specifications based
upon  market  requirements,  to  encourage  the  widespread  conduct  of  interoperability
testing,  including  multi-standard  interoperability  to  ensure  a  seamless  user  experience
across  terminal  devices,  mobile  network  infrastructures  (operators)  and  across  Member
State boundaries.

5.

BARRIERS  TO  WIDESPREAD  ACCESS  TO  NEW  SERVICES  AND  APPLICATIONS  OF
THE  INFORMATION  SOCIETY  THROUGH  OPEN  PLATFORMS  IN  DIGITAL
TELEVISION AND 3G MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS

In the case of digital TV and 3G mobile communications, there are justified restrictions
that – while not technical barriers as such – restrict the freedom of undertakings to enter
and  compete  in  these  markets.  They  include  obligations  imposed  on  undertakings  that
impact  on  key  inputs  at  the  wholesale  level  of  the  value  chain,  such  as  licensing
conditions  for  radio  frequency,  and  ‘must  carry’  obligations.  The  Commission  has
already adopted two Communications on mobile communications32. Further guidance on
the single market principles and provisions of the new regulatory framework relating to
‘must carry’ rules is foreseen during 2003.

5.1.

Factors  –  other  than  openness  and  interoperability  –  affecting  access  to
services

Factors  that  could  limit  widespread  access  to  electronic  services  in  future  go  beyond
those  of  open  interfaces  and  open  platforms.  Technology  barriers  can  be  overcome
wherever  there  is  a  strong  commercial  incentive  to  do  so.  But  the  creation  of  an
Information  Society  means  putting  into  place  a  series  of  measures,  both  technical  and
non-technical,  to  create  the  conditions  necessary  for  an  Information  Society  to  evolve.
These  are  touched  upon  only  briefly  below,  but  they  raise  wider  issues  than  those  of
platform openness, and merit a fuller examination than is possible here.

5.1.1.

Patents and other intellectual property rights

As an Information Society gradually becomes more of a reality, the source of economic
growth becomes increasingly information and knowledge-based. This shift in the drivers
for  growth  has  resulted  in  a  cycle  of  technological  innovation  using  proprietary
technology, that gives way to further efforts towards inter-working and interoperability,

32

COM(2002) 301 final - COM(2001) 141 final.

21

                                                
which  creates  agreed  standards.  The  cycle  is  frequently  repeated  in  networked
technologies.

The  terms  and  conditions  for  access  to  information  itself  are  becoming  increasingly
important for the further development of Information Society services and the economy.
For  example,  the  aim  of  the  patent  system  is  to  maximise  the  social  benefits  of
innovation by guaranteeing time-limited monopolies in exchange for the disclosure of a
technical  invention.  It  is  a  policy  tool  that  tries  to  balance  openness,  the  promotion  of
innovation, and the encouragement of competition. However, there are some indications
that  a  significant  increase  in  patenting  has  occurred  during  the  last  decade  which  has
been  related  more  to  the  creation  of  competitive  barriers  than  to  an  increase  of
investment in research and development33. Strategic patenting and ‘patent races’ seem to
have  become  particularly  important  in  networked  areas  that  develop  interdependent
products  such  as  those  offered  on  digital  TV  and  3G  mobile  platforms.  The  impact  of
patenting on market entry in this area is however unclear.

the 

intentions  behind 

The  Commission’s  proposed  directive  on  the  patentability  of  computer-implemented
inventions  seeks  to  promote  innovation  in  this  area  and  to  harmonise  the  patent  grant
practices  of  the  European  Patent  Office  and  Member  States34.  In  relation  to
interoperability, 
to  promote
interoperability by preserving the provisions on decompilation and reverse engineering of
Directive  91/250/EC  (relating  to  copyright)  as  well  as  encourage  innovation  and
competition.  This  directive  is  currently  under  discussion  in  the  Community  legislative
bodies. Once adopted and implemented, the Commission services intend to examine the
extent  to  which  the  objectives  of  the  directives  are  being  met,  notably  -  in  relation  to
interoperability  -  whether  the  patent  rights  granted  prevent  the  exploitation  of
interoperable applications.

this  proposed  directive  are 

A  healthy,  fair  and  competitive  market  is  the  best  guarantee  of  consumer  access  to
Information Society services. An effective regime for digital rights management systems
(DRMS)  is  undoubtedly  an  important  feature  of  such  a  market  and  interested  parties
should  continue  to  support  the  efforts  of  industry  and  consumer  stakeholders  to  find
internationally workable solutions. Such solutions should provide adequate protection of
intellectual property rights as recognised by Directive 2001/29/EC35 to give effect to the
principles  and  guarantees  laid  down  in  law,  in  the  context  of  new  forms  of  digital
exploitation  of  protected  works.  DRM  systems  and  services  are  closely  related  to
consumers’  perception  of  freedom  of  choice  in  accessing  information  society  services.
The  promotion  of  open,  flexible  and  interoperable  DRMS  continues  to  be  a  policy
priority for the Commission.

5.1.2. Consumer trust and confidence to create mass market demand

For  both  digital  television  and  mobile  communications  markets,  industry,  public
authorities  and  consumer  organisations  play  important  roles  in  the  areas  of  promoting
user  trust  and  confidence  in  interactive  services,  in  particular  in  relation  to  privacy

33

34

35

‘Technology policy in the telecommunications sector’, Enterprise papers 8, Koski, H. (2002).
COM(2002) 92 final – 2002/0047(COD), OJ C 151, 25.6.2002, p. 29.
Directive  2001/29/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  22  May  2001  on  the
harmonisation  of  certain  aspects  of  copyright  and  related  rights  in  the  information  society,
OJ L 167, 22.6.2001, p. 10.

22

                                                
protection  and  protection  against  the  disclosure  of  consumer  data,  e.g.,  credit  card
information. User confidence and use of digital technologies will increase in proportion
to the amount of information available to them (particularly when supported by consumer
organisations)  as  to  the  existence  of  guarantees  of  confidentiality  and  security  and  in
proportion to the effectiveness of the public and private measures adopted  to  guarantee
them. The Data Protection Directive referred to earlier seeks to build the necessary trust
and confidence by creating obligations on operators and service providers to: (1) provide
a  secure  environment  for  all  electronic  communications  (covering  3G,  Internet  and
digital TV); (2) guarantee the confidentiality of communications and the data transmitted
therein; and (3) severely restrict their re-use of customer information for purposes other
than that for which it was provided36.

5.1.3.

Business Models

Digital TV services are marketed mostly on the basis of premium content or number of
channels  they  can  offer  (e.g.,  in  those  countries  with  low  cable  TV  penetration  where
many TV channels are not available in analogue) or on the advantages of portability of
the  TV  set  (e.g.,  in  those  countries  with  high  cable  TV  penetration).  Truly  interactive
digital  TV  –  whether  cable,  satellite  or  terrestrial  based  -  is  still  in  its  infancy  in  most
Member  States.  Having  little  experience  with  interactive  digital  TV,  consumers  either
lack an awareness or have not developed any interest to use these new services so there is
as  yet  little  mass  market  demand.  However,  experience  in  particular  in  the  UK
demonstrates that interactive digital TV has considerable potential.

The  most  fundamental  barrier  to  widespread  access  to  interactive  services  today  via
digital  TV  -  especially  digital  terrestrial  TV  -  is  not  technical,  but  is  linked  to  the
difficulty of constructing acceptable business models for the deployment of the necessary
infrastructure (transmitters, terminals) solely based on market dynamics.  This translates
into economics, investment and the availability of content. Similarly, the real challenge
to the development of digital TV as a delivery platform for Information Society services
lies  in  finding  viable  business  models.  Solutions  to  the  return  channel  requirement,
whether  fixed  or  wireless,  will  also  be  necessary  to  qualify  as  an  Information  Society
service. For the successful deployment of digital terrestrial TV a critical mass of demand,
combined with attractive content and services, is required, so as to drive the economies
of scale necessary for a successful market to develop. Setting up this sustainable cycle is
harder  in  free-to-air  than  in  pay-TV  because  there  are  no  equipment  subsidies  to  drive
initial penetration in horizontal, retail markets.

In  the  case  of  3G,  rather  than  a  ‘big  bang’  introduction  of  3G  networks  and  services,
industry  will  progress  gradually  towards  the  full  range  of  3G  multi-media  services,
initially  provided  over  GPRS  networks.  This  will  allow  demand 
to  develop
progressively. Public authorities can support demand creation by ensuring that their own
Information Society services are available over 3G communication platforms.

36

Directive 2002/58/EC on privacy and electronic communications, OJ L 201, 31.7.2002, p. 37.

23

                                                
5.1.4. Digital TV roll-out and exploitation of European cultural diversity

Market  and  regulatory  differences  between  Member  States  are  significant  in  the  TV
sector,  largely  for  linguistic  and  cultural  reasons37.  The  possibility  for  digital  TV  to
contribute  towards  the  creation  of  an  Information  Society  is  constrained  by  the
fragmented timing of national digital terrestrial implementations in particular.

5.1.5. Clarity of regulation

Given the ability of digital TV  and 3G  to  merge  certain  features  of  traditional  services
and deliver them over a non-traditional infrastructure, such as datacasting services, both
the commercial  offering  and  the  consumer  uptake  of  these  services  require  clarity  with
respect to the applicable regulatory treatment of these services.

The  new  EU  regulatory  framework  for  electronic  communications  to  be  implemented
25 July  2003  provides  a  common  set  of  rules  for  the  sector38.  It  covers  electronic
communications networks and services, as well as associated facilities, which support the
provision of services via such networks or services, such as conditional access systems.
Experience  shows  that  national  measures  transposing  EU  directives  can  sometimes  be
different,  so  the  risk  exists  that  some  implementations  may  not  provide  the  clarity  and
legal  certainty  that  market  players  require  for  the  development  of  TV,  mobile  and
convergent Information Society services.

In particular, in light of the different regulatory structures in place for broadcasting and
electronic  communications,  it  will  be  important  for  Member  States  to  clarify  the
respective  responsibilities  of 
the  competent  regulator(s).  In  emerging  network
architectures, there will be a need for all NRAs involved to work together to ensure that
the principles of the new regulatory framework and the general provisions of Community
law  are  applied  in  a  consistent  manner  to  new  services  and  facilities  that  span  the
boundary between content and infrastructure.

The Commission services are examining whether clarification or legislative amendment
is needed on the legal framework for third party payments, such as payments related to
Premium  Rate  Services,  provided  by  mobile  operators.  The  relevant  Community
legislation, such as the Second Banking Directive39 and the Electronic Money Institution
(EMI) Directive40 seem to be implemented in this respect very differently in the Member
States.  In  order  to  achieve  a  European  level  playing  field  for  all  payment  services,  the
legal framework may need to be revised; at a minimum it should be clarified. This will
be part of the follow-up action proposed for the Commission services in chapter 6.

37

38

39

40

Differences concern the market share between types of TV network (terrestrial, cable and satellite)
and  business  models  (e.g.  pay-TV  versus  free  to  view),  the  level  of  digitalisation  and  other
aspects.
Directives 2002/19/EC, 2002/20/EC, 2002/21/EC and 2002/22/EC, OJ L 108, 24.4.2002, p. 7-77.
Directive 2002/58/EC, op. cit., fn. 53, was adopted on 12 July 2002.
Second  Council  Directive  89/646/EEC  of  15  December  1989  on  the  coordination  of  laws,
regulations and administrative provisions relating to the taking up and pursuit of the business of
credit institutions and amending Directive 77/780/EEC, OJ L 386, 30.12.1989, p. 1.
Directive 2000/46/EC of the European Parliament and of  the  Council  of  18  September  2000 on
the  taking  up,  pursuit  of  and  prudential  supervision  of  the  business  of  electronic  money
institutions, OJ L 275, 27.10.2000, p. 39.

24

                                                
5.1.6.

Radio frequency: assignment and flexibility

To  date,  spectrum  has  generally  been  assigned  on  an  individual  basis,  linked  to
conditions  related  to  specific  services,  territories  and  undertakings.  Broadcasters
generally receive spectrum  against little  or  no  payment,  in  consideration  of  the  general
interest  objectives  with  which  they  are  charged  (including  the  remit  of  public  service
broadcasting)  compliance  with  which  involves  substantial  costs.  There  needs  to  be
greater clarity on the value of the spectrum they use. This does not rule out offset against
programming  obligations,  as  is  currently  the  case.  On  the  other  hand,  for  some  3G
mobile operators, their license and related rights of use of radio frequency were costly. In
the long term, new flexible tools may be needed for ensuring effective use of spectrum,
possibly  including  secondary  trading  or  usage  charges41.  Placing  a  value  on  spectrum
will  be  important  whatever  it  is  used  for.  The  new  EU  regulatory  framework  for  co-
ordinating approaches to spectrum management offers forums for such developments to
be addressed.

Spectrum scarcity is a potentially significant barrier, of varying significance in different
countries, to the successful roll-out of digital terrestrial services in Europe, which will be
made worse by the temporary lack of available frequencies coinciding with the simulcast
transmission  of  both  analogue  and  digital  broadcasts  during  the  transition  period  to
digital  transmission.  The  reform  of  the  1961  Stockholm  Frequency  Plan  will  be
important for maximising efficient use of terrestrial broadcasting spectrum in a future all-
digital environment.

6.

CONCLUSIONS AND FOLLOW-UP

The  objective  of  an  Information  Society  for  all  remains  despite  the  recent  downturn  in
the  telecommunications  sector.  The  commercial  and  technical  environments  of  digital
TV and 3G are extremely complex. Interoperability linked to open platforms represents
only  one  element  in  a  much  wider  and  more  complex  set  of  issues  that  affect  the
introduction of new digital services and will have a profound effect on widespread access
to services. In 3G mobile communications, industry is seeking to achieve interoperability
of  services  while  voluntary  industry  migration  to  the  MHP  standard  may  be  at  least  in
part a likely solution for interoperability across digital TV. The development of services
that  may  be  offered  across  the  two  platforms  may  also  raise  issues  of  cross-platform
interoperability.

Open  platforms  and  interoperability  will  be  very  important  but  not  on  their  own
sufficient to produce an Information Society for all. The measures adopted to redress the
regulatory, commercial and consumer barriers to the creation of an  Information Society
already identified by Member States, by the European Parliament, by industry and by the
Commission must be systematically evaluated. Industry itself must find solutions to the
commercial  challenges  it  faces  but  must  be  given  a  supportive  and  encouraging
environment within which to operate.

41

As  recommended  in  the  Action  Plan  eEurope  2005:  an  information  society  for  all  and  the
communication on 3G rollout, op. cit., fn. 4 and 5.

25

                                                
6.1.

Follow-up - for Member State governments

Public authorities have important roles to play in creating a favourable environment for
business  that  attracts  investment  and  favours  economic  development,  as  well  as
safeguards the interests of consumers.

6.1.1. Government as legislator

A new regulatory framework for  electronic communications networks and services  was
adopted by the EP and Council during the first half of 2002, and Member States are now
in  the  process  of  transposing  this  framework  into  national  law.  The  full  and  timely
transposition of this legal framework by the deadline of July 2003 will provide a coherent
set of rules for all types of electronic communications infrastructure. The new framework
is  based  on  separating  content  regulation  from  infrastructure  regulation  but,  unlike
previous telecommunications regulation, the new framework includes networks used for
the distribution of broadcast signals. A critical short term objective is for Member States
to  ensure  that  national  law  implementing  the  new  framework  avoids  any  ambiguity
between  legislation  on  ‘broadcasting’  and  legislation  on  ‘electronic  communications
services’, so that the applicable rules for new and innovative services are clear.

6.1.2. Governments and regulators

Independent national regulators have been given considerable discretion in applying the
provisions of the new regulatory framework to the electronic communications sector. To
avoid  fragmenting  the  single  market,  several  co-ordination  mechanisms  are  foreseen,
both  between  the  regulators  and  with  the  Commission,  as  well  as  public  consultation
mechanisms  on  certain  measures.  Regulation  of  broadcasting  presents  a  more
complicated  picture,  with  regulatory  responsibilities  split  between  local,  regional  and
national  bodies  in  some  Member  States  and,  in  a  few,  a  single  body  oversees  both  the
broadcasting and electronic communications sectors. Since interactive television services
will  be  delivered  alongside  digital  television  broadcasting  services,  it  is  vital  to  have  a
clear  demarcation  of  responsibility  and  good  co-operation  between  national  regulators
responsible for broadcasting and those responsible for electronic communications.

The European Regulators Group, created by the Commission, is an additional mechanism
to ensure consistency by Member States in the application of the new framework, and to
co-ordinate  at  EU  level.  Such  co-ordination  will  avoid  inconsistent  approaches  and
prevent new obstacles to the internal market for Information Society services. Moreover,
the  Group  will  provide  expertise  that  can  guide  the  application  of  regulation  to
Information  Society  services,  identify  gaps  in  national  regimes  and,  ultimately,  in  co-
operation with other relevant regulators, create a regulatory level playing field in the EU.

6.1.3. Government as supplier of information and information society services

Governments are a major supplier of information for the citizen, and the eEurope  2005
Action  Plan  has  identified  e-government,  e-health  and  e-learning  as  major  priorities  in
the  programme.  Thus  far,  most  activity  has  been  concerned  with  online  publication  of
government  information,  rather  than  provision  by  government  of  Information  Society
services.  Nevertheless  the  government  is  a  major  supplier  of  services,  and  the
development  of  attractive  Information  Society  services  will  bring  users  on-line  and
stimulate the  development  of  other  on-line  services.  To  encourage  public  authorities  to

26

make  their  information  available  in  electronic  form,  the  Commission  has  proposed  a
directive  on  the  re-use  and  commercial  exploitation  of  public  sector  documents42.
Governments should therefore be leaders in ensuring that their e-services are available in
formats  suited  to  delivery  over  a  variety  of  platforms.  The  e-Europe  2005  Action  Plan
calls for Member States to exploit by end 2004 the potential of multi-platform access for
basic public services.

E-government  services  intended  for  delivery  through  the  television  should  be  designed
appropriately, i.e., for both those with and without return channels on their digital TVs.
Users  without  a  return  channel  should  have  access  to  alternative,  more  limited,
information.  Though  not  Information  Society  services  as  currently  defined  by  EU  law,
they  will  nonetheless  be  of  value  to  citizens.  Government  portals,  as  gateways  to  e-
government  services,  both  on  digital  television  and  the  web,  should  offer  both  non-
interactive and interactive services.

6.1.4. Government as purchaser

Innovative  new  services  often  face  the  problem  that,  while  demand  is  low,  mass
production, which could bring down unit costs is hard to justify, and so costs remain high
thereby inhibiting demand. Governments have significant if often fragmented purchasing
power, which in some cases can be used effectively to overcome such problems and thus
contribute to the creation of an Information Society for all. Governments could use their
procurement  activities  to  help  stimulate  new  markets  and  services  and,  just  as
importantly, to create public trust in new services and markets by favouring openness and
interoperability.43

Past Commission efforts in supporting interoperable standards have not always delivered
their  intended  results.  The  experience  with  such  initiatives  demonstrates  that  a  key
ingredient to success is that of scale, and that the scale of any initiative must be EU-wide.
Member  States  could,  for  example,  in  procuring  services,  target  one  sector  (e.g.,
electronic  medical  benefits  cards)  and  adopt  a  single  standard  for  Europe  wide
implementation.  The  result  would  unquestionably  set  the  industry  standard  and  deliver
EU-wide interoperability.

6.1.5. Government as promoter

Member  States  are  active  in  promoting  the  RTD  needed  for  development  of  open
platforms and interoperability. In particular the IST programme plays an important role.
Member State governments are also active in promoting the roll-out of digital television
and,  under  the  eEurope  2005  Action  Plan,  they  will  publish  by  the  end  of  2003  their
intentions  for  the  possible  switchover  from  analogue  to  digital  television.  The  eEurope
2005  Action  Plan  calls  upon  Member  States  to  offer  their  content  on  different

42

43

Proposed directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the re-use and commercial
exploitation of public sector documents, COM(2002) 207 final, 2002/123 (COD).
Open  source  policy  is  also  a  part  of  the  UK  e-government  interoperability  framework,  see:
http://www.govtalk.gov.uk/interoperability/egif.asp,
and the German government procurement policy, see:
http://www.bund.de/Service/English/News/Open-Source-for-Administration-.6482.htm.

27

                                                
technological platforms. Member State governments can also play a co-development role
with industry by engaging in public-private partnerships44.

6.1.6. Government as facilitator

The Commission report on its public consultation on the Green Paper on Convergence in
1999 highlighted the conflicting demands of content providers,  who  sought the right  to
have  their  content  delivered  over  any  infrastructure,  and  infrastructure  providers  who
sought  to  retain  their  commercial  freedom45.  The  new  regulatory  framework  for
electronic  communications  recognises  that  such  conflicting  demands  have  to  be
addressed  case-by-case,  based  on  actual  market  conditions,  under  the  control  of  the
national  regulatory  authority.  In  situations  where  the  commercial  interests  of  different
parties may prevent spontaneous collaboration, government and regulators can facilitate
useful discussion.

6.2.

Follow-up – the European Commission

6.2.1.

Some recent actions

The eEurope initiatives, initially launched in 1999, are an attempt to transform us into a
knowledge-based society. The most recent eEurope initiative, the ‘eEurope 2005 Action
Plan’,  calls  for  the  adoption,  by  end  2003,  of  an  agreed  interoperability  framework  to
support the delivery of pan-European e-government services to citizens and enterprises.
This will be an important milestone in the creation of a genuine Information Society for
all.

Public and commercial services must be offered on a widespread basis for an Information
Society for all to happen. Thus the eEurope 2005 Action Plan aims to promote a multi-
platform approach as well as widespread broadband capacity as a means of access to the
Internet, and as ways of raising productivity in the private and public sectors to generate
an  inclusive  Information  Society  covering:  eLearning,  eHealth,  and  eGovernment.  The
Commission recognises that the Internet and its widespread use are already a central part
of  the  Information  Society  and  has  endorsed  the  initiative  to  upgrade  the  Internet’s
capabilities  in  the  next  Internet  Protocol  (IPv6)46.  To  encourage  public  authorities  to
make  their  information  available  in  electronic  form,  the  Commission  has  proposed  a
directive on the re-use and commercial exploitation of public sector documents47.

Some recent Community initiatives demonstrate the extent to which EU institutions have
already addressed issues directly related to creating an Information Society. The Council
Resolution  of  28  January  2002  on  network  and 
the
Communication  from  the  Commission  on  the  same  subject49  and  the  eEurope  Action

information  security48, 

44

45

46

47

48

49

About 2 billion euros were allocated by the Swedish government for broadband infrastructure roll-out.
http://www.regeringen.se/galactica/service=irnews/action=obj_show?c_obj_id=32477.
COM(1999) 108 final.
Communication  from  the  Commission  to  the  Council  and  the  European  Parliament,  Next
Generation  Internet:  priorities  for  action  in  migrating  to  the  new  Internet  protocol  IPv6,
COM(2002) 96 final.
Op. Cit., fn 43.
OJ C 43, 16.2.2002, p. 2.
http://www.europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/action_plan/safe/netsecres_en.pdf.
COM(2000) 298 final of 6 June 2001; COM(2000) 890 final.

28

                                                
Plan50 (inter alia) recognise that consumers and businesses need a secure environment in
which  to  conduct  their  communications  and  to  transact  business.  The  security  of
transactions and data has become essential for the supply of electronic services, including
e-commerce  and  online  public  services.  Directive  2002/58/EC  ensures  the  right  to
privacy  and  to  confidentiality  in  communications  and  transactions  will  be  respected51.
The Commission has  adopted  a  proposed  regulation to  create  a  European  Network  and
Information  Security  Agency  that  is  expected  to  build  on  national  efforts  to  enhance
network and information security  and  to  increase  the  ability  of  Member  States  and  EU
Institutions to prevent and respond to network and information security problems52.

6.2.2.

Some future actions

In  accordance  with  Article  18(3)  of  the  Framework  Directive,  the  Commission  will
examine,  by  no  later  than  July  2004,  the  effects  of  Article  18.  If  interoperability  and
freedom of choice for users have not been adequately achieved in one or more Member
States,  the  Commission  may  take  action  under  the  terms  of  Article  17,  wherein  a
previously published standard may be made compulsory, following a public consultation
and with agreement of the Member States53.

However,  the  Commission  considers  that  standardisation  should  be  voluntary  and
industry-led. Standardisation is not a goal in itself. A balance must be struck in the public
interest,  between  the  extent  standards  are  needed  to  achieve  interoperability,  with  the
possible  adverse  effects  of  standardisation  on  competition,  innovation,  investment  and
the risk of choosing premature or obsolete technologies. In May 2003, the Commission
invited  the  European  Standardisation  Organisations  to  prepare  a  coherent  set  of
standards,  specifications  and  guidelines  to  support  the  effective  implementation  of
Article  18  of  the  Framework  Directive  as  regards  interoperability  of  interactive  digital
TV services.

The Guidelines of the eTEN Programme, which addresses validation and deployment of
services in the "common interest", were amended in 2002 to re-align the programme to
the objectives of the eEurope 2005 Action Plan. A call for proposals for the eTEN work
programme is anticipated in May 2003; this work programme addresses issues relating to
interoperability  as  one  of  a  set  of  the  common  objectives  to  be  achieved  by  those
responding to the 2003 call. This approach positions interoperability as an integral part of
all future eTEN projects and requires that projects take account of the specific contexts in
which  the  services  will  be  offered.  Services  covered  by  eTEN  projects  should  be

50

51

52

53

COM(2002) 263 final.
Directive 2002/58/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2002 concerning
the  processing  of  personal  data  and  the  protection  of  privacy  in  the  electronic  communications
sector, OJ L 201, 31.7.2002, p. 37.
Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European
Network and Information Security Agency, COM(2003) 63 final.
In a statement to the European Parliament  on  12  December  2001,  Commissioner  Liikanen  said:
“One year after the date of application of these Directives, the Commission will examine whether
interoperability  and  freedom  of  choice  for  users  have  been  adequately  achieved  in  the  Member
States.  If  not,  the  Commission  can  propose  to  make  implementation  of  relevant  European
standards mandatory. The Directive requires the Commission to carry out a public consultation on
such  a  proposal.  Following  the  public  consultation,  the  proposal  would  be  submitted  to  a
regulatory committee procedure (requiring support  from  a  qualified  majority  of  Member  States)
before being adopted as a formal Commission Decision.”

29

                                                
compatible  with  existing  norms  and  standards.  The  work  programme  also  foresees  the
use of open standards, and where appropriate, the use of open source software.

The  actions  mentioned  below  reflect  the  awareness  that  many  factors  other  than  open
platforms  will  determine  whether  Information  Society  services  will  be  accessible  on  a
widespread basis; these are listed albeit many consist of several pre-existing initiatives of
the Commission:

6.2.3.

Regulatory and Research Measures

seek adoption of the proposed directives on reuse of public sector information and

(1)
on patenting of computer-implemented inventions;

issue by end 2003 an agreed interoperability framework to support the delivery of
(2)
pan-European e-government services to citizens and enterprises,  addressing information
content  and  recommending  technical  policies  and  specifications  for  joining  up  public
administration  information  systems  across  the  EU,  based  on  open  standards  and
encouraging the use of open source software (Section 3.1.1 of the eEurope 2005 Action
Plan);

work closely  with  the  relevant  regulators  (e.g.,  the  European  Regulators  Group,
(3)
the  European  Platform  Regulatory  Authorities)  to  ensure  consistent  application  of  the
rules, in particular those concerning interactive digital TV services;by end 2003 revise or
clarify the rules applicable to micro-payment services offered by mobile operators;

(4)
continue  to  support  demonstration  and  research  projects  aimed  at  fostering  the
availability  of  services  and  content  on  different  technological  platforms,  such  as
interactive digital TV and 3G mobile communications;

adopt  guidelines  on  the  use  of  public  funds  for  investment  in  communications

(5)
infrastructures;

make  a  proposal,  by  end  2003,  for  a  follow-up  programme  to  the  eContent

(6)
programme (Section 3.5 of the eEurope 2005 Action Plan);

organise a public  hearing  in June 2003, in the context of the review  of  the  ‘TV

(7)
without frontiers’ directive, which will take into account interactive TV services;

6.2.4.

Support for private sector measures

(8)
support  the  development  by  the  private  sector  of  interoperable  e-business
solutions  for  transactions,  security,  signatures,  procurement  and  payments  to  facilitate
seamless,  secure  and  easy  cross-border  electronic  business  and  mobile  commerce
(Section 3.1.2 of the eEurope 2005 Action Plan);

promote  further  industry-led  standardisation  for  interoperability  in  interactive

(9)
digital TV;

30

6.2.5. Measures related to the disabled

(10)
continue  to  support  standardisation  efforts  regarding  accessibility  and  digital
communication (e.g. the CENELEC standardisation working group TV for ALL and the
Design  for  All  and  Assistive  Technology  Steering  Coordination  Group  (DATSCG))  in
close co-ordination and co-operation with Member States;

(11)
in  the  forum  created  in  the  sub-group  on  disabilities  of  the  Communications
Committee,  INCOM,  address  issues  linked  to  users  with  disabilities  to  facilitate  access
by such users to electronic communications services and to propose harmonised actions
at national level across Member States to implement the objectives of the Framework and
related Directives;

(12)
during  2003,  the  European  Year  of  People  with  Disabilities,  specific  follow-up
actions will assess the achievements of eEurope 2002 and suggestions will be made for
future activities;

6.2.6. Multi-national measures

(13)
promote the principles of openness and interoperability at the international level
in relations with third countries and regions, and in particular in the context of the World
Summit  on  the  Information  Society  to  be  held  at  the  end  of  2003  in  Geneva,  and  in
ongoing  work  in  international  organisations  like  the  World  Trade  Organisation,  the
International  Telecommunications  Union  and  the  Organisation  for  Economic  Co-
operation and Development.

6.3.

An Ongoing Process

The Barcelona European Council pointed to the key role that digital television and third-
generation  mobile  communications  (3G)  will  play  in  providing  widespread  access  to
interactive  and  Information  Society  services.  The  analysis  presented  herein  supports
these conclusions.

This  Communication  has  described  how  future  development  and  deployment  of  new
services  over  the  3G  and  digital  TV  platforms  could  be  shaped  by  the  technical,
regulatory and commercial features of these platforms, in the context of a multi-platform
approach that reflects the way the markets and consumer usage patterns of the future are
likely  to  develop.  The  major  technological  barriers  inherent  in  creating  open  platforms
for all the technologies and platforms concerned are actively being addressed by industry
and public authorities. Commercial and regulatory barriers, unrelated to open platforms,
also need to be tackled and have been addressed in national and Community initiatives.

The successful creation of an Information Society for all will depend on the effectiveness
of  the  technological  measures  that  deliver  interoperability  of  services,  as  well  as  the
measures  that  tackle  non-technical  barriers,  such  as  consumer  reluctance,  security
concerns  and  commercial  challenges  in  creating  attractive  services  and  sound  business
models. Out of all these barriers, those related to commercial factors, and particularly the
creation  of  viable  business  models,  seem  to  most  observers  to  be  the  most  significant
barrier  to  successful  achievement  of  an  Information  Society.  The  Commission  will
continue to monitor and report on developments in this critical sector of the economy and

31

will systematically in future draw upon the input of the public in preparing its reports, as
was done for the present Communication.

32

1.

The Barcelona European Council and the Seville Council request

ANNEX

The Barcelona European Council called upon the Commission and the Member States to
foster  the  use  of  open  platforms  to  provide  freedom  of  choice  to  citizens  for  access  to
applications  and  services of  the  Information  Society.  It  also  invited  the  Commission  to
present, inter alia, a comprehensive analysis of remaining barriers to the achievement of
widespread  access  to  new  services  and  applications  of  the  information  society  through
open  platforms  in  digital  television  and  3G  mobile  communications.  The  Seville
European Council re-iterated the request of the Barcelona Council to the Commission for
a  report  to  the  Copenhagen  European  Council  in  December  2002  on  “the  remaining
third-generation  mobile
barriers 
communications”.

to  open  platforms 

television  and 

in  digital 

In  response  to  this  request,  the  present  Communication  analyses  the  barriers  to
widespread  access  to  information  society  services,  not  just  through  open  platforms  in
digital  television  and  3G  mobile  communications,  but  more  broadly,  as  these  two
platforms  form  only  part  of  an  emerging  multi-platform  service  delivery  environment.
This  was  a  key  observation  made  during  the  public  consultation  on  a  Commission
services working document.

In order to ensure a proper understanding of the drivers in the creation of an Information
Society for All, the Communication also identifies other relevant issues that will have a
significant impact on access to Information Society services. These other issues concern
commercial,  regulatory  and  consumer  factors.  They  are  no  less  important  than  open
platforms,  possibly  even  more  so,  and  will  therefore  determine  what  services  can  be
accessed from what devices.

For  purposes  of  developing  policy  measures  for  the  Information  Society,  the  major
message of this communication is to endorse the conclusions of the Barcelona European
Council  and  the  Seville  European  Council  of  the  importance  of  open  platforms  for
widespread  delivery  of  electronic  services  and  to  note  the  importance  of  interoperable
services  in  a  future  multi-platform  environment  notwithstanding  the  dynamic  and
unpredictable nature of technological developments in this  area.  An important  driver  in
the successful creation of critical mass to reach an Information Society for All will be the
combination  of  public  services  being  offered  electronically  as  well  as  attractive
commercial  services  and  applications  on  several  platforms.  Thus,  both  commercial
factors and public sector measures will be crucial to complete the Information Society for
All.

2.

Prior Consultation

The  present  text  is  the  result  of  an  extensive  public  consultation  that  ran  from
5 December 2002 through 15  February 2003. A public hearing was held in Brussels on
4 February 2003. During the public consultation, comments were received from national
ministries,  consumer  representatives,  a  broad  variety  of  undertakings  (telecoms,
broadcasting,  cable,  Internet  service  provision,  computer  and  software  industries  and
media  and  publishing  industries)  and  from  trade  associations.  The  text  of  the  proposed
Communication  has  been  amended  to  take  account  of  comments  received  during  the
consultation. The principal changes to the earlier version are described below.

33

The  aims  of  the  consultation  were  twofold:  to  validate  or  correct  the  Commission
services’  preliminary  analysis  of  these  platforms;  and,  in  view  of  the  large  public
interests  at  stake,  to  open  a  broad  consultation  with  all  interested  parties,  including  all
segments  of  the  communications  and  information  technology  sector,  media,  publishing
interests, mobile operators and broadcasting interests, as well as consumers and national
authorities.

2.1.

Comments received during the public consultation and public hearing

Written comments were received for a period of three weeks following official closure of
the  consultation.  The  comments  received  have  been  published  on  the  DG  INFSO  web
site  unless  confidentiality  was  requested.  The  list  of  contributors  appears  at  the  end  of
this annex.

Scope:  The  main  comments  expressed  during  the  public  consultation  related  to  the
narrowness of the Commission’s preliminary  analysis. It was generally thought that the
scope of the examination should be broadened to reflect the likely market realities of the
future - which were that no one platform would pre-dominate in service delivery and that
the various digital platforms would be complementary, rather than substitutable.

Disabled: Several comments noted that e-Inclusion and access for disabled users should
be included; this is one of the goals of an Information Society for All.

Definitions:  Many  comments  asked  for  greater  clarity  in  the  definitions  of  key  themes
and terms, such as “interoperability” and “openness”; ‘true’ interactivity and ‘simulated’
interactivity.

Role of governments: Other comments emphasised how important it is for governments
as  suppliers  of  e-government  services  and  in  other  roles,  such  as  public  procurement
bodies, to facilitate economies of scale.

Mandating  MHP:  Some  thought  it  inappropriate  to  mandate  the  Multi-media  Home
Platform  Standard  (MHP)  in  a  way  that  prohibits  continued  use  of  existing  proprietary
technology.  For  those  commentators,  a  progressive  migration  towards  greenfield  sites
could be appropriate. Others thought that MHP should be encouraged to help overcome
current market fragmentation. Some felt that  good business  models do not  yet exist for
interactive digital TV other than pay TV/proprietary standards and argued that mandating
MHP is not the solution for further digital TV rollout, as that would destroy the digital
TV that is already rolled out. But others stressed the importance of free-to-air interactive
digital  TV  services,  saying  that  a  single  open  standard  (i.e.,  MHP)  is  necessary  to
overcome market fragmentation and pay TV gate-keeping; they argued that re- authoring
is  not  a  real  solution,  because  it  is  expensive,  reduces  the  quality  of  service,  and  puts
content providers at the mercy of powerful, vertically integrated, market players.

Article  18  Framework  Directive  2002/21/EC:  Some  broadcasting  interests  encouraged
the publication by the Commission of criteria under Article 18 Framework Directive for
how  Member  States  could  ‘encourage’  implementation  of  standards;  they  suggested
requiring  equipment  labelling,  offering  tax  exemptions,  and  consideration  of  other
encouraging measures.

34

Business  models:  Many  commented  on  a  variety  of  commercial  issues  related  to
horizontal business  models,  economies of scale  and  critical  mass  needed  for  successful
digital TV rollout. Some thought that the EU should ensure that business scenarios  can
be  built  with  all  stakeholders  to  a  final  consumer,  allowing  them  to  build  a  profitable
model.

Definition of Information Society services: Several broadcasting interests considered that
the  current  definition  of  Information  Society  services  is  too  restrictive  and  artificial,  in
requiring  both:  (1)  individual  request  from  a  final  user  via  a  ‘return  channel’,  thus
excluding ‘simulated’ interactivity; they submitted that such a definition is out of touch
with  the  market,  because  switching  between  true  and  simulated  interactivity  is
increasingly  easy,  so  the  current  definition  creates  a  distinction  that  is  not  visible  for
actual  end-users;  and  (2)  remuneration  by  users,  thus  excluding  free-to-air  interactive
services which are potentially significant. Other commentators suggested that regulatory
definitions  should  be  service-based  (e.g.  broadcasting,  datacasting)  rather  than  network
or  platform-based  (such  as,  digital  TV),  so  that  spectrum  allocation  can  be  adapted
accordingly,  that  is,  made  available  for  certain  services  independently  of  the  delivery
network or platform.

Linking interoperability and digital switchover: Broadcasters felt that interoperability and
openness  are  needed  not  only  for  Information  Society  services  but  also  for  traditional
broadcasting.  With  regard  to  digital  TV,  some  broadcasters  considered  that  platform
interoperability  and  openness  are  necessary,  but  not  sufficient,  to  achieve  digital
switchover.  Therefore,  they  argued  that  the  link  between  interoperability  and  digital
switchover  should  be  made  more  explicit  in  the  Communication.  Public  measures  in
other areas (such as, financial incentives and equipment labelling) should be considered
if market forces do not deliver switchover by a certain date.

Copyright: Some commentators felt that copyright licensing constitutes a barrier, and that
collecting  societies  tend  to  request  extra  fees  for  any  changes  in  the  service  (e.g.,
digitisation). No internal market exists, rather fragmentation. A ‘one-stop-shop’ would be
welcome and  the  Commission  should  consider  action  in  this  area.  The  Communication
should  also 
include  a  report  on  digital  rights  management  systems  (DRMS)
developments in the EU. These DRMS are important, for example, to protect free-to-air
digital  TV,  but  some  thought  that  the  market  is  not  yet  mature  enough  to  impose
harmonised solutions.

Guidance on EU law: Several commentators felt that guidance is needed, not only for the
provisions  of  Article  5  of  the  Access  Directive,  on  the  provisions  related  to  electronic
programme  guides  (EPGs),  but  also  on  the  new  regulatory  framework  provisions  on
“must-carry”54;  and  on  micro-payment  systems  (financial  services  rules)  for  mobile
operators, (the latter of which is already foreseen).

54

Article 31, Directive 2002/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002
on  universal  service  and  users’  rights  relating  to  electronic  communications  networks  and
services, OJ L 108, 24.4.2002, p. 51.

35

                                                
2.2.

Changes introduced to working document

Many  of  the  issues  that  were  the  object  of  comments,  such  as  the  definition  of
Information  Society  services,  the  link  between  digital  switchover  and  interoperability,
creating  successful  business  models  for  the  roll-out  of  digital  TV,  frequency
management,  and  copyright/DRMS  concerns,  cannot  be  addressed  in  the  proposed
Communication  as  commentators  called  for.  However,  many  of  these  issues  are  under
examination by the Commission services and will be addressed in separate initiatives and
actions.  The  interoperability  issues  that  are  referred  to  in  Article  18  of  the  Framework
directive are not considered in this Communication as it is planned to address the issue of
how satisfactorily interoperability has been achieved in digital TV services in a separate
Communication on which a public consultation will be held at the end of 2003.

Scope  and  multi-platform  approach:  The  analysis  in  the  proposed  Communication  has
been  widened  beyond  digital  TV  and  3G  to  give  a  broader  picture  of  access  to
Information Society services, of technologies, of different service delivery platforms and
the impact on inter-platform interoperability. The new text reflects the fact that a variety
of  services  will  be  delivered,  sometimes  different  and  sometimes  the  same  services,  in
future  to  users  everywhere  on  different  end-user  terminals.  The  potentially  significant
contribution  that  digital  radio  (DAB)  can  make  to  the  delivery  of  Information  Society
services has also been included.

Definitions:  Terms  used  in  the  Communication  have  either  been  defined  or,  if  used  in
interconnection,
several  different  ways,  explained 
interoperability and inter-working, ‘true’ interactivity and ‘simulated’ interactivity). The
definition of Information Society services is unaffected. Since the relevant technology is
evolving  rapidly,  the  Commission  will  monitor  technological  developments.  As
convergence becomes more of a market reality, technological neutrality of regulation will
continue to be an important policy principle.

(for  example, 

in  context, 

New sections  and  new  structure:  The proposed Communication has been somewhat  re-
restructured from the working document, and new sections on the economic benefits and
costs  of  interoperability  and  a  contrast  between  a  futuristic  vision  of  an  Information
Society  and  the  still-emerging  multi-platform  environment  have  been  included.  Also
added is an explanation of third party access to the Application Program Interface (API)
technology in conditional access systems for digital TV and digital radio under the new
electronic communications regulatory framework.

3.

Final adoption

To  the  maximum  extent  possible,  the  Commission  has  taken  account  of  comments
expressed during the consultation process and has adapted the earlier draft in light of the
comments received from the following organisations:

– 

– 

– 

– 

AGCOM - Autorità per le garanzie nelle comunicazioni

Alcatel

ANEC 
Representation in Standardisation

-  European  Association 

for 

the  Co-ordination  of  Consumer

ANIEL  -  National  Spanish  Association  of  Electronical  Industries  and
Telecommunications

36

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

ARD & ZDF

Association Européene des Radios

Austrian Federal Economic Chamber

BBC

Bouygues Telecom

BSkyB

Canal +

CERMI - Comité Español de Representantes de Personas con Discapacidad

ComReg - Commission for Communications Regulation Ireland

Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers

Consumers' Association

Deutsche Telekom

DigiTAG – Digital Terrestrial Television Action Group

DLM - Direktorenkonferenz der Landesmedienanstalten

DTG – Digital TV Group

Dutch Government

EBU – European Broadcasting Union

ECCA - European Cable Communications Association

EDeAN - European Design for All e-Accessibility Network

EICTA  –  European  Information,  Communications  and  Consumer  Electronics
Technology Industry Association

ETNO – European Telecommunication Network Operators’ Association

Finnish Government

France Telecom

French Government

GSM Europe

H3G Europe

Hawkins David

Hellenic Ministry of Transports & Communications

Intel Corporation

INTUG - International Telecommunications Users Group

IPDC Forum – IP Datacast Forum

ITV

Kirkham Pete

Lähteenmäki Timo

37

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Liberate

Marshall Peter

Mediaset

METIL

MHP Alliance

Microsoft

Mobilkom

MPA - Motion Picture Association

Nokia

OMA – Open Mobile Alliance

OpenTV

Orange Group

QUALCOMM INC

Retevisión Audiovisual

RNIB - Royal National Institute of the Blind

RNID, EFHOH and FEPEDA

Sonera

STET Hellas Telecommunications SA

Swedish Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications

Telecom e.V.

Telecom Italia

Telefónica

UK Government

UPC - United Pan Europe Communications

Vodafone

VPRT - Verband Privater Rundfunk und Telekommunikation e.V.

World DAB Forum

38