Broadband News
News, views and analysis
New Year, new hope for broadband notspots?
05 Jan 2010 | 11.20 Europe/London
Politicians talked the talk in 2009 about the “right to internet access” and the internet being “as vital as water or gas”. But only a handful of countries – Switzerland, Finland and Sweden – have translated this talk into action. What will the rest of us do?
The new EU presidency is stepping up to the plate with a proposal that would make broadband provision compulsory for all member states. This would be accomplished by means of an EU directive – legislation that tells member states what they should do, without specifying exactly how it should be achieved.
The draft 18 month programme agreed by the incoming Spanish, Belgian and Hungarian Presidencies reads:
Universal service directives were created to enable affordable access to a range of telecommunications services at any fixed location. Today, the services that must be provided to everyone are local, national and international telephone calls, facsimile and dial-up data services. Universal service provision in some countries may include public call boxes and telephone directories – services that have largely been superseded by mobile phones and internet directories. Clearly, it’s time to bring universal service up to date.
Meanwhile, the website of the Spanish EU presidency was hacked yesterday, with the image of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero being replaced by the smiling face of Rowan Atkinson in his Mr Bean persona. The attack, which involved a cross-scripting vulnerability, was quickly discovered and the website restored – although not before Spanish newspaper El Mundo had captured a screen shot. The Spanish government said the site itself, www.eu2010.es, and its data have not been compromised.
The new EU presidency is stepping up to the plate with a proposal that would make broadband provision compulsory for all member states. This would be accomplished by means of an EU directive – legislation that tells member states what they should do, without specifying exactly how it should be achieved.
The draft 18 month programme agreed by the incoming Spanish, Belgian and Hungarian Presidencies reads:
“The Presidencies will launch work on the new scope of the universal service in electronic communications and on the incorporation of the broadband in the scope of universal service based on a Commission Recommendation.”
Universal service directives were created to enable affordable access to a range of telecommunications services at any fixed location. Today, the services that must be provided to everyone are local, national and international telephone calls, facsimile and dial-up data services. Universal service provision in some countries may include public call boxes and telephone directories – services that have largely been superseded by mobile phones and internet directories. Clearly, it’s time to bring universal service up to date.
A job for Mr Bean?
Meanwhile, the website of the Spanish EU presidency was hacked yesterday, with the image of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero being replaced by the smiling face of Rowan Atkinson in his Mr Bean persona. The attack, which involved a cross-scripting vulnerability, was quickly discovered and the website restored – although not before Spanish newspaper El Mundo had captured a screen shot. The Spanish government said the site itself, www.eu2010.es, and its data have not been compromised.