US embassy cable - 03ROME3916

UNCLAS ROME 003916 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECPS, IT, EUN 
SUBJECT: ITALY'S EU PRESIDENCY: SEPTEMBER 4 INFORMAL 
MINISTERIAL ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
 
1. (U) ACCORDING TO THE GOI'S DRAFT AGENDA FOR THE INFORMAL 
MINISTERIAL ON TELLECOMMUNICATIONS, THE MINISTERS WILL ASSESS 
THE STATE OF BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT AT THE EUROPEAN LEVEL, WITH 
PARTICULAR ATTENTION PAID TO DELAYS IN CERTAIN AREAS.  THE 
MINISTERS WILL ADDRESS THE USE OF EU STRUCTURAL FUNDS FOR 
DISADVANTAGED AREAS OF THE EU (E.G. BRIDGING THE DIGITAL 
DIVIDE) AND WILL PRESENT NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE 
DEVELOPMENT OF BROADBAND, INCLUDING INCENTIVE MEASURES.  THE 
    MINISTERIAL WILL ALSO FOCUS ON THE EXPERIENCE OF INDUSTRY 
BROADBAND OPERATORS, SPECIFICALLY TELECOM ITALIA, FRANCE 
TELECOM, BRITISH TELECOM, AND TISCALI S.P.A., ALL OF WHICH 
WILL BE REPRESENTED AT ONE OF THE SESSIONS. 
 
2. (U) A BACKGROUND INFORMATION PAPER ON BROADBAND AND THE 
MINISTERIAL PROVIDED BY THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT REQUESTS THAT 
ATTENDING MINISTERS ADDRESS SEVERAL QUESTIONS IN THE 
PRESENTATION OF THEIR NATIONAL ACTION PLANS FOR BROADBAND 
DEPLOYMENT: 
 
      - THE STATUS OF NATIONAL BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT, 
OBSTACLES TO ITS DEVELOPMENT, THE MAIN INITIATIVES STATES 
PLAN TO ADOPT TO FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF BROADBAND 
INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THE LEVEL OF COMPETITION BETWEEN 
INCUMBENTS AND NEW ENTRANTS IN THE BROADBAND INDUSTRY; 
 
      - THE PREFERRED WAY TO USE STRUCTURAL FUNDS, WITH 
PARTICULAR ATTENTION ON REDUCING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN BOTH 
MEMBER AND APPLICANT STATES. 
 
THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT HOPES TO GATHER INFORMATION TO ENABLE 
THE DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDELINES GOVERNING THE DEVELOPMENT OF 
BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE IN EUROPE AND THE INITATIVES TO 
UNDERTAKE AT THE EUROPEAN LEVEL. 
 
3. (U) EMBOFFS WILL ATTEND AND REPORT ON THE SEPTEMBER 4 
MINISTERIAL. 
 
4. (U) COMMENT:  THE INFORMATION PAPER IS VAGUE IN ITS 
DEFINITION OF BROADBAND, A TERM THAT IS USED TO REFER TO A 
    RANGE OF TECHNOLOGIES OF DIFFERENT CAPACITIES AND SPEEDS FOR 
THE DELIVERY OF DATA COMMUNICATION SERVICES, INCLUDING HYBRID 
FIBER COAX TECHNOLOGY (HFC) AND DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER LINE (DSL) 
SERVICE, AS WELL AS WIRELESS DATA TRANSMISSION.  GIVEN THE 
DIVERSE SET OF BROADBAND TECHNOLOGIES, THE RAPID PACE OF 
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE, AND THE VARIETY OF ENTITIES PROVIDING 
VARIOUS BROADBAND SERVICES, THE DEVELOPMENT OF EU-WIDE 
BROADBAND INITIATIVES, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS IS LIKELY TO 
BE A LENGTHY PROCESS. END COMMENT. 
SKODON 
 
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 2003ROME03916 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED