Broadband is a key enabler of the information society, increasing
productivity and competitiveness across all sectors of the economy.
Unlike traditional n- rowband connections, broadband provides high
speed, always-on connections to the Internet and supports innovative
content and services. Direct consumer welfare gains from mass-market
adoption of broadband across the EU could easily reach 50 billion euros
or more per annum. This is quite apart from the more profound societal
shifts that ubiquitous broadband could bring. It may allow the
individual to distribute content and ideas independent of traditional
media and bring together communities of interest without regard to
borders. Public policy for broadband will have a big impact on whether
and how quickly these bene?ts are realised. Getting policy right could
bring large bene?ts for consumers, ?rms and the economy at large;
getting policy wrong risks s- ?ing both the rollout of broadband and new
innovative services, and thus the realisation of the EU's e-Europe
vision. In this book, we focus on the residential market for broadband
access in EU countries, analysing the current and prospective level of
competition and dr- ing implications for public policy. A key aim is to
understand better the relative importance of facilities-based and
access-based provision in fostering com- tition and promoting take-up of
broadband services.
