If union and SPD had decided not to present current coalition agreement on Monday, but after election in 2013, Germany would probably be far more in terms of digitisation. While broadband expansion was supposed to finance itself at time, now heavily shrunken grand coalition wants to provide up to 12 billion euros for promotion of fibre-optic networks. Or is it not? After all, coalition partners only want to shoot money out of budget if proceeds from frequency auction are not enough. Let's hope y will do it.
There is no lack of will in coalition agreement. In 17 pages of sub-chapter digitization (PDF) There are 76 times word "want", after all 100 times parties agreed that y actually do something ". Ample plans for remaining three and a half years after election of Angela Merkel (CDU) to chancellor.
The fact that coalition passed away from failed expansion goal of last legislature, SPD chairman, Olaf Scholz, wrote in a nutshell on Monday to journalists, saying, "If you take subject of broadband cabling, Yes, re are decisions that are not to be criticized for ir correctness, which are many years old. But not everyone is experiencing fact that cables have spread to some extent in same way as papers. " Instead of equiping Germany with 50 Mbit/s, Union and SPD now want "nationwide expansion with gigabit networks by 2025".
Frequency allocation against high requirementsBecause it does not cost so much money, parties will implement a whole range of regulatory measures. For example, instead of "a detailed ex-ante regulation as in past in copper grid, put on a model of non-discriminatory access (in sense of open access)". or public funding "in such a way that only parts of expansion which are developed with fibre-optic technology are eligible."
When 5g network is set up, frequency licenses are combined with expansion requirements. "It must be default: New frequencies only against nationwide supply", is called coalition agreement. In this respect, it is only logical if government expects lower revenues in frequency auction. What, in turn, means that, in end, more budgetary resources could be needed for fibre-optic expansion.
National roaming, but no regional frequenciesThe formulation of a previous negotiating document, according to which as many competitors as possible should participate in award and frequencies should be awarded regionally, is no longer reflected in signed coalition agreement. The large corporations may have successfully intervened here. After all, coalition partners "want" to allow mobile operators for national roaming "by means of appropriate changes in telecommunications and cartel law agreements." How government wants to fulfill its promise of "closing existing radio holes and white spots on mobile and mobile internet" will probably remain its secret. To this end, it will develop a nationwide overall strategy with countries and mobile operators.
After all, Union and SPD have arrived at fact that re is often not much to be achieved on subject of digitisation at national level. "Europe's competitiveness depends decisively on achievement of single digital single market," Treaty states. For this reason, parties "want" to waive principle of unilateral national regulations in order to facilitate European-wide implementation of digital business models. In case of Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG), this will was still very weak in past year. The free movement of data is to be anchored in EU as fifth dimension of freedom of movement.
Date Of Update: 16 March 2018, 12:03
