Availability and robustness of electronic communications infrastructures - "The ARECI Study"

Final report - Study

Publication metadata

This Study submits ten major Recommendations to European Institutions, Member States and the Private Sector for the express purpose of promoting the availability and robustness of Europe’s communications networks. These ten Recommendations are submitted specifically to the European Commission for their consideration and inclusion in their ongoing dialogue regarding how to achieve the communications infrastructure availability and robustness needed by Europe. The Study team strongly urges the European Commission to include this report in its dialogue and to do so speedily, as the improvement... opportunities described have many benefits to European citizens. Further, the Study team strongly urges the Member States and Private Sector to likewise include consideration of this report in their respective undertakings addressing network availability and robustness. The Study team is encouraged that at the time of this report’s final drafting, a number of Private Sector stakeholders have stepped forward to take the next steps suggested for several Recommendations. Each of the Recommendations should be considered and acted upon with urgency proportional to the vital role that communications networks will play in Europe’s future. The critical priority for implementation is clear. Without reliable communications networks and services, public welfare is endangered, economic stability is at risk, other critical sectors are exposed, and nation-state security is threatened. The implementation of this report’s Recommendations will significantly reduce these and other risks. Each of the ten Recommendations is both challenging and achievable. The Study team’s interest extends beyond documenting the guidance found herein. The intent is that the result of improved network availability and robustness would be realised. Successful implementation of each Recommendation will significantly improve the reliability and robustness of communications services for the citizens of Europe. However, each will require skill, resolve and genuine partnership among government entities and the Private Sector. To help the process of taking these Recommendations from paper to results, each is supported with a complete background, with a discussion of less desirable alternatives, with next steps to continue established momentum from the Study, and with measures of success where stakeholders can benchmark their effectiveness in supporting the guidance (Section 4). These value-adding elements are included to these Recommendations because of the criticality and urgency regarding their implementation. Europe’s future communications networks promise to usher in a new world of business and lifestyle-enhancing capabilities – many of which have not yet even been imagined. Relatively recent advances of ICT in the areas of affordable pricing, mobility, geo-locating, video imaging and search engines, while breathtaking, are likely only the beginning of an ever-accelerating pace of the same for the foreseeable future. While the urgency is pressing, the long term benefits of reliable communications networks are incomparable. The people of Europe stand to greatly benefit from the anticipated economic efficiency, citizen connectivity, functional flexibility, and speed. This Study strongly urges the European Commission, Member States and Private Sector stakeholders to chart and embark on a new course of policy and practice that forcefully advocates highly available and highly robust communications infrastructure.