EU 'Network Usage Fee Law' to Take Shape at MWC

Details to be announced at MWC... Completion within the year
Discussion on network usage fees inside and outside the venue

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] The European Union (EU) bill requiring big tech companies to pay network usage fees to telecom operators will take shape at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world's largest mobile exhibition, held on the 27th.

On the 14th (local time), major foreign media reported that Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for Internal Market, will begin discussions on whether big tech should bear the costs of telecom network infrastructure ahead of MWC 2023 held in Barcelona, Spain.

[Photo by MWC official website]

Commissioner Breton stated that the specific schedule for starting the discussions will be "announced at MWC." He also expressed confidence that the bill could be finalized within the year. Foreign media explained that this is the first time Commissioner Breton is participating in MWC, which is seen as a positive signal for the European telecom industry. With Breton joining, MWC is expected to become a platform for discussions on network usage fees. At this MWC, speeches and meetings related to network usage fees will continue both inside and outside the venue.

The first keynote speech on the opening day of MWC is titled "Vision of a Fair Future." It is presumed to include the idea that big tech should bear part of the network infrastructure investment costs in proportion to the surge in traffic.

On the second day, the 28th, the session "Network Investment: Delivering The Digital Revolution" will bring together telecom operators such as Deutsche Telekom, Saudi Telecom, and the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), along with policy executives from big tech companies like Meta and Netflix, which are targets for network usage fee payments. Minister Lee Jong-ho of the Ministry of Science and ICT will also attend. Deutsche Telekom and Meta are currently involved in network usage fee lawsuits in Germany. GSMA explained that this session will explore ways to provide future digital connectivity amid the rapid increase in mobile data traffic and the pressure on network operators to invest in infrastructure.

Outside the MWC venue, the GSMA board is reported to discuss ways to share network investment costs.

The European Commission has been discussing the creation of a bill related to network usage fees since mid-last month. It is reviewing provisions that require big tech companies generating large-scale traffic to contribute to network infrastructure construction costs or to pay network usage fees directly to telecom operators. Opinions are being gathered from telecom operators and big tech companies regarding this matter.