The health of Europe’s telecom sector

European telecom operators have been struggling to keep up with the growing demand for bandwidth capacity, technological transformation, and international competitors.

Just as the future of connectivity is looking increasingly dynamic, European operators have been falling behind in the rollout of next-generation networks like 5G and fibre, compared to other economic powerhouses like China and the United States.

Meanwhile, EU policymakers have been racking their brains for ways to create more favourable conditions for investments in digital infrastructure, including a controversial proposal to make the largest traffic generators pay for network costs.

In this special report, EURACTIV explores the reasons why the telecom sector’s health in Europe is at an all-time low, in the throes of low profitability, raging domestic and international competition, and rapid technological transformations.