The strong attendance and distinguished speakers reflected the expectations on policymakers to deliver an effective review of the EU’s regulatory framework for telecoms
MWC26: Regulation & Policy Roundup from Day 1
Usual gripes about Europe’s low ARPUs and over-regulation contrasted with operators’ optimism regarding opportunities presented by sovereignty and satellite
Event debrief: Back in the game? Europe’s race for digital leadership
The EC likened publication of its DNA proposals to unbottling a fine wine, although some in the telecoms industry do not appear convinced by the taste
South Korea: Future-facing spectrum reallocation
MSIT policy aims to facilitate 3G, and eventually 4G, network retirement while using rollout-linked discounting to boost 5GSA coverage
Ofcom’s 2026/27 Plan of Work: More of the same
Ofcom’s planned projects largely signal a continuation of the regulator’s focus on online safety, spectrum for satellite services, improving mobile connectivity and network resilience
ACMA’s five-year spectrum outlook
The regulator is set to make critical decisions on expiring licences and the upper 6GHz band, while supporting the introduction of a novel mobile USO
Event debrief: Capacity Europe 2025
With important reforms looming in Europe, the regulatory model in France was singled out as having successfully enabled fibre investment and competition
Event debrief: Digital Networks Act: Rewriting the DNA of Europe’s Open Internet?
A broadly partisan crowd rejected both deregulating and expanding current regulation, while criticising “terrible” network traffic analogies
Event debrief: FT/Connect Europe Forum
While requests for deregulation and in-market mobile consolidation were nothing new, there was a clear sense that increasing the speed of action has now been made an equivalent priority
Event debrief: Connected Britain 2025
The event primarily remains a forum for debate on the future of the UK fibre market, as familiar sparks flew over potential altnet consolidation and the continued regulation of Openreach
