EC call for 'universal' broadband

Brussels is considering making broadband access available for all. The fast growth of broadband has led the European Commission to bring forward a review of the basic telecoms services Europeans can expect. Current statistics suggest about 36% of households in EU member nations have high-speed net access. When a majority of EU citizens are using a telecoms service, EC rules dictate that it becomes one every European should be able to enjoy. The EC's Universal Service Obligations (USO) demand that all citizens who want them should be able to get access to basic telephone services. It covers the production of a telephone directory, availability of payphones, specific measures for people with disabilities or those on low incomes and fixed phone access for local, national and international voice calls. The obligations also include a clause demanding that the fixed line be of sufficient quality to "permit functional Internet access". In the UK this has been interpreted to mean a line that can support a dial-up speed of 28.8 kilobits per second.