Brussels, 23 April 2012,

ECTA - the European Competitive Telecommunications Association – has today entered into an academic cooperation agreement with TU Delft, the leading University of Technology, to support independent enhanced research in telecom markets.

TU Delft’s team of researchers led by Dr.Ir. Wolter Lemstra has agreed to develop research for an initial period of 15 month on the dynamics of telecom markets in Europe and on policy measures to support Europe’s target to achieve widespread coverage and take-up of superfast broadband by 2020. TU Delft has previously worked on a number of projects for the European Commission, including a recent report on Steps towards a truly Internal Market for e-communications.              

ECTA’s chairman Tom Ruhan said “in a period of economic turmoil public policies affecting the future of communications of hundreds million EU citizens need to be supported by solid research and data. For this reason we really value the opportunity to support TU Delft’s excellence in research applied to the telecom sector”.

The Dean of the Department Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology Prof. Dr. Theo Toonen said “I am honoured being able to support ECTA in its objectives to stimulate competition and sustainable business models in the telecommunications sector in Europe. Our academic collaboration will focus on the performance of the telecommunications sector, which is of critical importance to achieving economic growth and productivity improvement in almost all sectors of the economy and society. "

As part of the cooperation agreement, ETCA and TU Delft is jointly organising a Ultra-Fast Broadband Policy and Practice Conference to be held in Brussels on 21st of May 2012. Dr.Ir. Lemstra will on that occasion present a research paper examining how market dynamics and policies may shape the deployment of next generation access networks.

EC Vice-President Neelie Kroes, responsible for the Digital Agenda portfolio will also speak at the conference which will feature a high level panel on fibre investments with CEOs from Iliad and Netia.

The May event will also cover demand and financing for ultra-fast network with a distinguished panel of financial investors and consumer representatives as well as two panels of experts, who will discuss  whether there is a role for industrial policy to achieve the digital agenda targets and the impact of structural remedies on network investments and business models.  

More information on the conference can be found by clicking here.

Background

ECTA (the European Competitive Telecommunications Association - www.ectaportal.com ) is the pan-European pro-competitive trade association that represents more than 100 of the leading challenger telecoms operators across Europe. For over a decade, ECTA has been supporting the regulatory and commercial interests of telecoms operators, ISPs & equipment manufacturers in pursuit of a fair regulatory environment that allows all electronic communications providers to compete on level terms. Our members have been the leading innovators in Internet services, broadband, business communications, entertainment and mobile. Contact: Federico Poggi, Senior Manager Public Affairs (+32 2 290.01.03 / fpoggi@ectaportal.com ).

TU DELFT- Delft University of Technology (Dutch: Technische Universiteit Delft) is the largest and oldest Dutch public technical university, located in Delft, The Netherlands. With eight faculties and numerous research institutes it hosts over 16,000 students (undergraduate and postgraduate), more than 2,600 scientists (including more than 200 professors), over 2,000 doctoral students, and more than 2,000 people in the support and management staff. The university was established on January 8, 1842 by King William II of the Netherlands as a Royal Academy. Nobel laureates Jacobus van 't Hoff, Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, and Simon van der Meer have been associated with TU Delft. TU Delft is a member of several university federations including the IDEA League, CESAER, UNITECH, and 3TU. Press and Science Information: Marije Blomjous, telephone: +31 15 2787001, email: M.Blomjous@tudelft.nl, www.tudelft.nl.

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