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'You village peasants: Do you want broadband? Then give up your freedom'

H-dot Oettinger issues his first digi-czar communique

Europe’s new digital czar has published his first official blog post, and it will make internet service providers very happy. Customers, less so.

Gunther H-dot Oettinger has departed from former EU Commissioner Steelie Neelie Kroes’ position that customers should be able to switch providers easily.

While he acknowledges that EU rules currently protect consumers, so they don't get locked in with one supplier, he feels for those ISPs that need more money to invest in more networks. They need “a degree of predictability about revenues” says Oetti.

The Commissioner’s blog talks a lot about “balance” but he also believes he is fighting the good fight, breaking a “taboo” and standing up for the villagers of Europe.

“It should not be a taboo to ask such questions and start a public discussion on them. We have to find the right balance between investment predictability and consumer choice. In a village – wouldn't it be better to have the option of broadband with a longer contract, than not to have broadband at all?” he asks.

Connecting villages is very much to the fore, he seems to take it as a given that cities are already sorted. Some of that may be a hangover from his time as Energy Commissioner:

“It is similar to what we are already doing in the energy sector: in some limited cases, for new pipelines, companies can be exempted from the requirement to provide competitors with access to pipelines,” he says.

Following his suitability hearing at the European Parliament before he became Commissioner, many of those present felt that he had focused too much on infrastructure.

“It’s as though he can only think in terms of pipes. He doesn’t seem to realise that in the case of the internet, the stuff that flows through those 'pipes' - information - needs regulating too,” said one MEP’s assistant.

Surely not! Oettinger famously defended his position as European Commissioner for the Digital Economy by stating to German media that he “goes on the internet every day”. It may take some time for him to get to grips with his new role. ®

Update

It appears Oettinger's obsession with villages may have been "inspired" by Deutsche Telekom's position. Warning: a glance at this Deutsche Telekom webpage may inspire feelings of déjà vu.

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