Telecommunications services, use of cable television networks

The Committee of the Regions felt that the measures put forward in the proposal for a directive were justified and supported the EU’s development policy to promote the information society. In addition, so-called ‘alternative infrastructure’ should be treated in the same way as traditional data communications network, and as such it should also be made to serve the same objectives relating to the development of the information society. While the formation of strategic concentrations could provide worldwide services at reasonable prices, the Committee considered that an alliance of large data communications and communications companies could have detrimental effects on the content of services, introducing an element of bias. It therefore called for continued vigilance with regard to the enforcement of EU competition rules. At regional and local level, the increase in possible uses for cable TV networks could open up a whole range of possibilities for multi-faceted interaction with ordinary citizens. If nothing else, the dissemination of information by municipal and provincial bodies could be considerably enhanced.