European Competitive Telecommunications Association
Encyclopedia
The European Competitive Telecommunications Association was formed in 1997 by Robert J. Dombkowski and Elizabeth J. Schumacher, founders of MCN, UK, who collectively brought together a group of telecommunications resellers and suppliers in Europe in order to push for deregulation of the telecommunications market across Western and Eastern Europe
. The founding members included high ranking executives of the major telecom players in Europe including Nick Jeffries of Cable and Wireless, Michael Potter of Esprit Telecom (now of Paradigm Ventures), Hans Gerber of SITA-Equant, Gustav Schaefer of Unisource Carrier Services, Ian Ashby of Lucent Technologies
, Claude Simpson, the president of Immix Telecom (ECTA Member of the Year, 1999), Holland Taylor of USA GlobalLink, and Michael Rhodes of Coudert Brothers
.
Prior to 1987, the European telecommunications market consisted predominantly of monopolies or telecommunications organizations (TO's) such as BT, France Telecom
and Deutsche Telekom
. In 1987, the European Union
adopted the 1987 Green Paper
that essentially stated it was in Europe's best interests to overhaul the current system and liberalize telecommunications services. As a result, from 1988 to 1998 the European Commission
adopted multiple directives that obligated member states to open markets for equipment, telecom services, value-added, data services, satellite, mobile and voice to competition.
Member States set up national regulatory agencies (NRA's) that oversaw these directives and developed policies and procedures for telecommunications organizations to follow. The directives provided a framework for the EU commission to ensure compliance and take judicial action when necessary. In 1990 the Open Network Provision (ONP) Framework Directive was adopted by the EU that established regulations for open access to the existing infrastructure and networks, interconnection and 'fair pricing' for resellers.
ECTA was established as a result of restrictive practices by former monopolies to limit activities by resellers to access networks and obtain fair pricing. Committees were established within the organization to collectively respond to new EU directives
and written and 'unwritten' policies that were carried out by NRA's. ECTA responded to numerous proposed directives and called for regulations to be developed to better protect reseller interests and encourage enforcement in the spirit of the original 1987 Green Paper. ECTA has contributed white paper
s and had input into many policy telecom policies since its inception in 1997.
ECTA also serves as a forum for carriers and resellers to meet and discuss openly issues that are in the interests of the parties. ECTA has also served to educate the telecommunications market, providing information and market research
on European telecommunications as well as a market forum for new products and services. Since its formation in 1997, ECTA has grown to over 300 member companies and has expanded its interest to mobile communications and VAR's (value-added resellers).
ECTA now produces a Broadband Scorecard. The ECTA Broadband Scorecard was first launched in 2001 and is now recognised as an industry benchmark with it now being used regularly by the European Commission, National Regulators and major institutions such as the OECD.
ECTA collates and publishes data on a biannual basis tracking progress on broadband penetration and local-loop unbundling in the 25 member states across Europe.
More about ECTA and ECTA's role in moulding the European telecommunications market can be found on the European Monitoring Centre on Change
website.
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
. The founding members included high ranking executives of the major telecom players in Europe including Nick Jeffries of Cable and Wireless, Michael Potter of Esprit Telecom (now of Paradigm Ventures), Hans Gerber of SITA-Equant, Gustav Schaefer of Unisource Carrier Services, Ian Ashby of Lucent Technologies
Lucent Technologies
Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc., originally Lucent Technologies, Inc. is a French-owned technology company composed of what was formerly AT&T Technologies, which included Western Electric and Bell Labs...
, Claude Simpson, the president of Immix Telecom (ECTA Member of the Year, 1999), Holland Taylor of USA GlobalLink, and Michael Rhodes of Coudert Brothers
Coudert Brothers
Coudert Brothers LLP was a New York-based law firm with a strong international outlook that practiced from 1853 until its dissolution in 2006.-History:...
.
Prior to 1987, the European telecommunications market consisted predominantly of monopolies or telecommunications organizations (TO's) such as BT, France Telecom
France Télécom
France Telecom S.A. is the main telecommunications company in France, the third-largest in Europe and one of the largest in the world. It currently employs about 180,000 people and has 192.7 million customers worldwide . In 2010 the group had revenue of €45.5 billion...
and Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom AG is a telecommunications company headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It is the largest telecommunications company in Europe....
. In 1987, the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
adopted the 1987 Green Paper
Green paper
In the Commonwealth, the Republic of Ireland and the United States a green paper is a tentative government report of a proposal without any commitment to action; the first step in changing the law...
that essentially stated it was in Europe's best interests to overhaul the current system and liberalize telecommunications services. As a result, from 1988 to 1998 the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
adopted multiple directives that obligated member states to open markets for equipment, telecom services, value-added, data services, satellite, mobile and voice to competition.
Member States set up national regulatory agencies (NRA's) that oversaw these directives and developed policies and procedures for telecommunications organizations to follow. The directives provided a framework for the EU commission to ensure compliance and take judicial action when necessary. In 1990 the Open Network Provision (ONP) Framework Directive was adopted by the EU that established regulations for open access to the existing infrastructure and networks, interconnection and 'fair pricing' for resellers.
ECTA was established as a result of restrictive practices by former monopolies to limit activities by resellers to access networks and obtain fair pricing. Committees were established within the organization to collectively respond to new EU directives
European Union directive
A directive is a legislative act of the European Union, which requires member states to achieve a particular result without dictating the means of achieving that result. It can be distinguished from regulations which are self-executing and do not require any implementing measures. Directives...
and written and 'unwritten' policies that were carried out by NRA's. ECTA responded to numerous proposed directives and called for regulations to be developed to better protect reseller interests and encourage enforcement in the spirit of the original 1987 Green Paper. ECTA has contributed white paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
s and had input into many policy telecom policies since its inception in 1997.
ECTA also serves as a forum for carriers and resellers to meet and discuss openly issues that are in the interests of the parties. ECTA has also served to educate the telecommunications market, providing information and market research
Market research
Market research is any organized effort to gather information about markets or customers. It is a very important component of business strategy...
on European telecommunications as well as a market forum for new products and services. Since its formation in 1997, ECTA has grown to over 300 member companies and has expanded its interest to mobile communications and VAR's (value-added resellers).
ECTA now produces a Broadband Scorecard. The ECTA Broadband Scorecard was first launched in 2001 and is now recognised as an industry benchmark with it now being used regularly by the European Commission, National Regulators and major institutions such as the OECD.
ECTA collates and publishes data on a biannual basis tracking progress on broadband penetration and local-loop unbundling in the 25 member states across Europe.
More about ECTA and ECTA's role in moulding the European telecommunications market can be found on the European Monitoring Centre on Change
European Monitoring Centre on Change
The European Monitoring Centre on Change is "a place for exchanging practice, information and ideas on the management and anticipation of change," consisting primarily of an informational website. It was founded at a on "What drives change?", which was organized by the European Foundation for...
website.