Title: Broadband universal service: A future path for Europe?

Authors: Erik Bohlin, Orada Teppayayon

Addresses: Department of Technology Management and Economics, Chalmers University of Technology, S-41296, Goteborg, Sweden. ' Department of Technology Management and Economics, Chalmers University of Technology, S-41296, Goteborg, Sweden

Abstract: Encouraging broadband availability to all end-users is one of the priority policies of government around the world. In the EU, several policies have been initiated. Among them, the inclusion of broadband in the scope of universal service has been discussed. This paper provides an overview of the current state and trends of universal service with focus on broadband access in the European Union. In particular, a historical overview is given of the universal service legislation and various policies initiatives in the EU, emphasising that future broadband universal service has long-standing antecedents, going back to the 1980s. However, broadening the scope of universal service has many different contexts to be considered, and balancing between contexts must be done carefully.

Keywords: European Union; universal service concept; statutory principles; EU broadband policies; broadband availability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMNE.2009.030592

International Journal of Management and Network Economics, 2009 Vol.1 No.3, pp.275 - 298

Published online: 24 Dec 2009 *

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