Preface
The Scientific Research Unit of the RNIB in London has prepared several commentaries on European Telecommunications liberalization, jointly with the UK Group of COST 219. Some of these are now appended as Annexes, with some slight revisions as necessary, to accompany a strategic review of the state of Telecommunications deregulation in as far as it is likely to impact upon the use of the Telecommunications networks by people with disabilities.
Summary
The liberalization and deregulation of Telecommunications services in the European Union will be largely completed by 1 January 1998, introducing full competition to services which had originally been operated by national monopolies. The need to protect vulnerable consumers in a fully competitive environment has been recognised, chiefly by the definition of an obligatory set of service levels to be known as Universal Service. Although Universal Service allows national regulators to make specific provisions for disabled users, and in a proposed revision of the relevant Directive these permissive powers will be made compulsory, there is no statement or guidance as to what these provisions might be. While this may make for some welcome flexibility when regulators are considering what action to take, it leaves them with the option of implementing the barest minimum. Disabled people, and the organisations which lobby on their behalf, will need to present a well-argued action list to their national regulators if a fair and balanced set of provisions is to be achieved. While the rate of progress may vary between the European Member States, consistency of objectives is necessary if the European Telecommunications networks of the future are to be fully accessible to people with disabilities.
A particular difficulty has arisen with the liberalization of terminal equipment supply, which has been addressed separately from the deregulation of network services. In consequence, the continued availability of terminal equipment with facilities that are vital for disabled users is left to the operation of market forces. It is not impossible that maintenance of availability of such equipment could be brought within the scope of the Universal Service provisions, using powers already granted in outline and without conflicting with the fundamental free trade objectives of the Single Market. Whether it is by this route or any other, it is vitally important that some assurance of continued supply is obtained. Firm action to achieve this objective will be entirely consistent with the much emphasised policies of the European Union supporting the independence of people with disabilities.
Organisations which participate in the COST 219 programme, being particularly well-placed to promote these issues with legislators, national regulators and standardization bodies, should take every opportunity to do so.
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