Spain will join France in asking the European Union to
consider Internet access a “universal right”–like education and
healthcare–thus allowing financed access at an “accessible price.”
“Spain and France–once the EU telecommunications regulatory directives are
up for revision–will present a joint proposal to introduce what we could
sum up as ‘Internet as universal utility,'” said Rafael Arias Salgado,
Spain’s minister of Public Works and the Economy.
A similar status is already applied to phone access.
“We think that the time has arrived, in the realm of community legislation,
that Internet access as an absolutely decisive instrument– particularly in
sectors like education and health–must form part of what we consider
universal services,” he said.
If approved, the proposal would allow Spain to finance Net access with
funds earmarked by Spain’s General Telecommunications Law. This money,
while “not a subsidy,” would partially finance those companies (chosen
through a public bid), “willing to extend networks to every corner of
Spain.”
The EU opened the telecommunications market–with its 380 million
consumers–to competition on Jan. 1, 1998. Free trade provisions of both EU
legislation and the General Telecommunications Law currently impede any
type of aid or subsidy–except for so-called “universal services.”
“Defining the scope of the universal service obligation represents a
delicate balance,” stated a European Commission report on telecommunications. “Too
narrow a vision of universal service and citizens may be kept out. . .too
broad a vision and the competitive forces which are the principal driver of
better services, lower prices and greater innovation will be held back as
new players in the market will be deterred from entering.”
Out of a population of nearly 40 million, 2.5 million Spaniards have access
to the Internet. Of those, 1.8 million are considered habitual users. In
addition to the cost of an ISP contract, they must pay the cost of a local
phone call. Last week, the Spanish government approved a flat rate fee of
5,000 pesetas ($33) per month, to take effect at the end of March.
