Interviewee:
Johannes Gungl, Chair, Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications 2018, and CEO for Telecommunications and Postal Services at the Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications
What you will learn in this audiocast (11 min 51 sec):
Regulators anticipate the 5G era, fine tune net neutrality, look at customer contracts, and reach out to Canada.
If aspirations are anything to go by, Europe should win the high-tech race in next generation networks and services.
Comprehensive studies have shown that if conditions were right, Europe’s 28 countries could collectively see a so-called data economy sector worth over 1 trillion euros by 2025. If this were to be actualized, it would set the continent firmly on the path of being a strong competitor to North America and Asia Pacific economies.
One of the key drivers in getting there will certainly be effective policymaking and regulatory activity. As Europe’s own economies start rollout of 5G networks, policymaking has been intensive. The Electronic Communications Code (ECC), which updates the fundamental regulatory frameworks in Europe, became law in December 2017. Regulators are examining net neutrality rules, consumer contract rules, and 5G rulemaking as well.
The European Union engages legislation across all 28 nations (called Member States) but national regulators in each country are responsible for enforcing the rules. The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC), a composite organization of the national regulators, oversees this activity.
In this podcast, Johannes Gungl, the Chair of BEREC for 2018, and CEO for telecommunications and postal services at the national regulator in Austria, gave PTC an exclusive interview in Brussels. He explained the thinking that lies behind the current wave of policymaking in Europe, and the need for thinking about policy and regulation in building blocks toward a much larger framework.
Topics covered:
- The European organization for regulation
- Near term work programs
- Regulation and the European data economy
- Net neutrality: what approach does Europe take vis-à-vis other parts of the world?
- Consumer contract overhaul
- Regulation in the 5G era
- Cooperation with Canada
- Upcoming national spectrum management issues
Johannes Gungl is CEO for Telecommunications and Postal Services of the Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications (RTR) and he is currently chairing the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). Mr. Gungl has almost 20 years of experience in the Austrian and European telecommunications industry, working in the field of legal and regulatory affairs for several fixed-line and mobile operators. Before his appointment as CEO of RTR, Mr. Gungl served as General Counsel and Head of Legal & Regulatory Affairs for Orange Austria. Mr. Gungl holds a law degree from the University of Graz and a postgraduate degree in European Law from the University of Innsbruck.
