The closure of copper networks requires careful planning and management, but it gives investors and operators confidence about the way forward, boosting investment and addressing demand needs.
At the same time, it recommends ensuring the availability of sufficient spectrum for indoor Wi-Fi - with 95% of all wireless traffic indoors, the need to ensure that the upper 6GHz band is unlicensed spectrum for Wi-Fi is critical to supporting the performance and demand of fiber networks.
The Draghi report notes that the success of investment dynamics in Europe has been driven by alternative operators. This competitive dynamic in Europe has ensured greater availability of fiber networks and, in general, better 5G coverage than in the United States, where prices are significantly higher.
The overall competitive approach in Europe has worked well, delivering good networks and competitive outcomes for businesses and end users. Europe must keep the competitive process at the heart of economic regulation and maintain competitive entry into networks and services. A key element will be ensuring that the migration from copper to fiber takes place in a fair and competitive market environment.
