EU Calls for Europe-Wide Broadband with Web 3.0

The European Commission has said high-speed broadband is the key to making Europe the leader in the next generation of the internet. The European Union (EU) body is considering the implications of Web 3.0., which will rely on high-performance broadband infrastructure. Web 3.0 refers to a theoretical third generation of internet-based services which collectively comprise what might be called "the intelligent Web"—machine-facilitated understanding of information requirements in order to provide a more productive and intuitive user experience.

This report builds on the EU's ongoing strategy to roll out high-speed broadband and next-generation networks (NGN's) across the bloc. The report states that 7% of the EU population is still not connected to broadband, and the commission wants all Europeans to have access by 2010. Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Information Society and Media, said: "Web 3.0 means seamless, anytime, anywhere business, entertainment and social networking over fast reliable and secure networks. It means the end of the divide between mobile and fixed lines. We must make sure that Web 3.0 is made and used in Europe." The EU is currently attempting to stimulate competition between telecoms providers to ensure increased investment in optical fibre networks; the European Parliament and the Council have launched a one-stop shop to authorise mobile satellite services which will deliver broadband via satellite across the EU; the Commission is pushing for reforms in radio spectrum management in order to free resources for wireless services. The report affirms the EU commitment that high-speed broadband infrastructure essential to the economic growth of an information-based society.

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