A coalition of 17 European telecom chiefs warns that incoherent policy reforms threaten Europe’s grip on its critical connectivity layer and argues Europe needs 475 billion euros more to reach world-class mobile networks, urging investment-led growth.

They call for translating Europe’s competitiveness agenda into concrete reforms: freeing capital for network rollouts, demand-driven investment, modern regulatory frameworks for innovative networks, and real simplification.

The signatories stress that connectivity networks are Europe’s tech backbone, and without investment-friendly reforms, Europe could lose control over this essential layer.

Signatories urge regulators to apply proportional rules that reflect equipment lifecycles and provide mitigations instead of sweeping, one-size-fits-all restrictions.

German industry groups urge the EU to resist new demands from large national telecoms to shift regulatory assessment from national to EU-wide, preserving current regulatory approaches.

The letter features leaders from Meo, Orange, Telefónica, TIM, KPN, Proximus, Swisscom, Liberty Global, Deutsche Telekom, Telenor, and others, underscoring broad industry backing.

They insist regulation should be based on actual market power and urge continued protection of copper-switch-off measures to support fiber investments within the DNA framework.

Operators highlight their role in secure military and civil capabilities—drone detection, cybersecurity, network slicing, and satellite communications—and tie this to Europe’s NATO-aligned investment targets in critical infrastructure.

Germany’s provider-diversity example is cited, noting municipal and regional investments in new networks and cautioning that Deutsche Telekom’s control of the DSL network should remain regulated.

They propose rethinking Open Internet protections to balance competition with opportunities for 5G/6G innovation, including network slicing and differentiated quality for industrial use.

Signatories advocate permanently long spectrum licences (around four decades) to reduce capital drain and accelerate 5G, fiber and future 6G deployment, highlighting €110 billion spent on licences in the past 12 years.

Tim Höttges and other signatories urge the EU to broaden market assessment to EU-wide scope, secure long-term spectrum allocations, and oppose copper shutdowns that could slow fiber rollout and entrench faster competitors.