 |  European regulators and the Code - new tools, same role
In 2018, I took over the Chairmanship of BEREC from Sébastien Soriano, who held this position in 2017. What we shared in our role was the focus on the negotiations on the new European Electronic Communications Code. While in 2017 BEREC adopted its position on the Commission proposal, it was my task to reply to the many compromise proposals tabled until an agreement was found mid-2018. In the meantime the Code has entered into force and has to be transposed into national law.
Many discussions are already taking place about the impact of the new tools foreseen in the Code like Wholesale-only, Co-investment and symetric regulation. To me, these new rules signal a shift in paradigm that apparently is about to take place in the market. What was perceived impossible economically just a few years ago, that new third infrastructures are being built, can be observed in ever more markets.
Operators join forces to co-invest in fibre, Open Access fibre networks are popping up across Europe, getting the backing from investors. This is good news for Europe and an encouraging development with its sustainability still to be shown. However, also in this changing landscape the challenge of regulators remains to stay vigilant and to safeguard effective competition, being the best driver for efficient investment. With new tools at hand and drawing on 20 years of experience I think we are well prepared for this task.
Johannes Gungl, BEREC Chairman 2018, CEO for Telecommunications and Postal Services of the Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications
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Regulation in action
Arcep rethinks the “monreseaumobile.fr” website
To improve the information that it provides to everyone, Arcep is rethinking monreseaumobile.fr, the online tool that maps mobile service coverage and quality. To satisfy stakeholders’ – and especially local authorities’ – expectations in this area, Arcep is taking three new courses of action.
1. Arcep is publishing a “regulator’s toolkit” for local authorities, to enable them to set up the tests they want to perform, within a controlled environment. This toolkit includes a teaching guide on the protocols that Arcep uses for its measurement campaigns, and technical specification models that can be reused for calls to tender for selecting a measurement service provider.
2. Arcep has also published a Code of conduct for all of the stakeholders that provide apps for measuring mobile Quality of experience (QoE). To be recognised by Arcep, these tools must adhere to the Code of conduct, which includes minimum quality levels with respect to relevance, how the findings are presented, and their transparency.
3. Lastly, monreseaumobile.fr will soon incorporate all of the field measurements available, whether produced by Arcep (more than 3 million) or by local authorities or other interested parties. These data will be superimposed on existing coverage maps, and made available as open data, to deliver an ever more detailed snapshot of mobile QoE.
Find out more (in French)
Redesign timetable for monreseaumobile.fr (in French)
Mobile coverage: Arcep wants to “open itself up to tests performed by local authorities” – Interview with Arcep Chair, Sébastien Soriano, in the Maire-Info daily (in French) | |
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| On our radar | | Yvon Collin, President of the High Commission for Digital and Postal Affairs (CNSP) Senator for the Tarn-et-Garonne, Yvon Collin has been the President of CNSP since 18 October. This Parliamentary Commission is tasked with overseeing postal and telecoms activities. It issues opinions and recommendations following hearings, referrals or fact-finding missions. It interviewed Arcep’s Executive Board on 8 November on topics such as fixed and mobile superfast coverage, quality of service on copper networks, 5G… A special guest at the inauguration of Arcep’s new offices, Yvon Collin spoke of the Authority’s vital role as “leading engineer of social and national cohesion”.
Press release: Arcep officially inaugurates its new “open government” offices | 
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|  | | News from around the world
Open Internet: European and Latin American regulators’ groups join forces
On 19 and 20 November, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) and its Latin American counterpart, REGULATEL, hosted a joint conference in Lima on the new regulatory challenges that regulators are facing in the digital age.
At the heart of the debates: data-driven regulation! Regulators had an opportunity to share their experiences of working to provide users with greater transparency and more information.
The two-day event concluded with a joint declaration by BEREC and REGULATEL that underscores their dedication to continuing to share best practices in enforcing net neutrality, and the need to introduce new regulatory tools, such as data-driven regulation, to keep pace with the digital revolution.
BEREC engaged in similar cooperative actions over the course of the year, particularly in the area of net neutrality, with regulators from India and Canada.
The joint declaration |
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| Arcep, telling it like it is
 Arcep teams on hand at the Internet Governance Forum! “Internet of Trust”. This was the central theme of the 13th Internet Governance Forum hosted by Unesco, from 12 to 14 November, with special guest António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The entire global internet ecosystem came together in Paris for three days: more than 3,000 people from 143 countries took part in 71 roundtables.
Arcep was an official partner to the event. Members of several departments were on hand to help raise awareness on some of the issues that are central areas of focus for Arcep: net neutrality, 5G, devices and open internet access, IPv6. To this end, Arcep:
- Hosted and/or participated in several roundtables, notably with telecoms regulators from India and Canada, “Access Now”, an international not-for-profit organisation working to protect a free and open internet, and the Mozilla Foundation. All of our (five) talks are available on our website. The roundtable titled “5G vs. net neutrality: friends or foes” is available online on the Forum’s YouTube channel.
- Had a stand in the “IGF Village” where it ran demonstrations of the Wehe app which is capable of detecting whether internet streams are being throttled;
- and covered its presence at the Forum on social media using the hashtag #ArcepXIGF which enjoyed a record audience on Twitter.
The “Paris Messages” were published by way of a conclusion to the event. Designed to be non-binding principles, they summarise the Forum’s main messages.
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Mark your calendar 
31 January 2019 in Paris | Arcep’s New Year’s greetings event
Arcep will be hosting its 2019 New Year’s event at 6 pm on 31 January at the Sorbonne.
By invitation only – Subject to availability Video | Arcep wishes you a happy new year!
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 | 8 to 12 January in Las Vegas
Consumer Electronics Show 2019
CES, one of the biggest annual trade shows devoted to innovation and technology, will be taking place from 8 to 12 January 2019 in Las Vegas. The figures alone are impressive: more than 182,000 people will attend over the five days, around 4,000 companies showcasing their latest innovations, and a thousand speakers taking part in roundtable discussions. And what will everyone be talking about at CES 2019? Smart city and 5G will top the bill. And two people from Arcep will be attending this year.
Find out more
25 to 28 February in Barcelona
Mobile World Congress
The Mobile World Congress, THE mobile industry’s annual event, will be taking place from 25 to 28 February 2018 in Barcelona. Hosted every year by GSMA, everyone from the sector flocks to this international event. On the programme: conferences, workshops, new product launches and presentations of the innovations that will become the mobile equipment of the future. And 5G will no doubt be centre stage in 2019! Sébastien Soriano and Arcep’s teams will be there.
Find out more
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