The proposed new rules would stop carriers from blocking services that compete with their own, but still allow subtler types of discrimination. It would be an improvement, but also allow the creation of a two-speed internet. Read more »
Europe’s digital chief has revealed plans for a “radical legislative compromise” that will eliminate roaming premiums and enshrine net neutrality within the EU. This is explicitly intended to show citizens that the EU matters. Read more »
A new industrial strategy for the continent aims to unlock €100 billion in private-sector funding through the use of targeted public-sector funding for R&D in the fields of nanoelectronics and microelectronics. Read more »
Good news for startups hoping to draw on public road traffic and weather data, among other types: changes agreed on Wednesday should allow the use of such data for free or at very low cost. Read more »
The EU still wants to meet its lofty fast-broadband goals despite having had to slash funding, and it sees simplification of roadworks and 4G mast planning as key to achieving this. Read more »
Europe used to lead the world in mobile technologies, but with 4G it’s fallen behind. Neelie Kroes wants to change that by funding 5G research and improving EU spectrum coordination. Read more »
In a massive blow to Europe’s plans of getting everyone – even in rural areas – on at least 30 Mbps by 2020, a $9.36 billion fund for stimulating broadband deployment has been axed. Read more »
The European Parliament has passed two resolutions in favor of net neutrality, just as the issue rears its ugly head at the WCIT summit. But neither the pro nor anti factions look likely to get their way. Read more »
As the rise in mobile, connected health management services creates an ehealth boom in the US, Europe launches a strategy to upgrade health systems it concedes are stuck in the 20th century. Read more »
The EU already allows 2G spectrum to be reused for 3G and 4G services, but now member states will also have to allow 3G spectrum to be ‘refarmed’ in the same way. The effects will take years to manifest themselves, though. Read more »
The EC’s long-anticipated plan to push cloud computing region-wide is out. It pledges — generally — to pursue a single set of data protection laws across the region but it will likely be very slow going to get all the parties on board. Read more »
Bad economy aside, European government agencies and private businesses will be strongly encouraged to beef up their cloud infrastructure in a forthcoming report by the EC-sanctioned European Cloud Partnership. A leaked report said companies/agencies should invest €45 billion in cloud computing by 2020. Read more »
UK web publishers and marketers may be grumbling about the E-Privacy Directive coming into force, but they can count themselves lucky that they’re not dealing with stricter interpretations of the law that are happening elsewhere across Europe. Read more »
With near-unanimous approval, the European Parliament has voted to make it much cheaper for people in the EU to use the mobile internet on their smartphones and tablets while travelling between the union’s 27 states. Read more »
The lawmaker leading Europe’s digital agenda initiatives is hoping France can liberalise its digital copyright regime, after it introduced a policy to warn and disconnect illegal content downloaders. Read more at paidContent »
Europe’s digital commissioner Neelie Kroes has a mixed record of helping the continent’s web entrepreneurs. But now she’s opening up to questions from the floor, with a new initiative aimed at finding ways to get Brussels to do a better job for startups. Read more »
Europe’s long-awaited position on net neutrality is finally here — and it looks like business as usual, with telecom companies retaining the right to block or throttle traffic in return for making the life of consumers a little bit easier. Read more »
An ongoing digital strategy by the European Union (EU) could force Apple into allowing Adobe’s Flash to run on the iPhone. The incomplete plans outlined by the EU, known as the Digital Agenda, aim to redefine how antitrust rules are practiced. Read more »
The European Commission has finally officially approved Oracle’s proposed $7.4 billion acquisition of Sun Microsystems. Sun’s time in no-man’s-land saw it lose many customers and raised questions about key products and divisions that it has. The question now is, what has this cost the company? Read more »
