Orange, Telefónica and Deutsche Telekom urge EU to revise DNA, CSA

TL;DR: Seventeen European telecom group leaders called on the European Union to revise the Digital Networks Act and Cybersecurity Act, arguing that current proposals would weaken investment incentives for mobile, fibre and cybersecurity. The group said the mobile sector needs €475 billion for world-class networks, cited €110 billion spent on spectrum licences over the past 12 years, and warned CSA replacement rules could cost up to €40 billion.

Seventeen European telecom executives, including Orange CEO Christel Heydemann, Telefónica chairman and CEO Marc Murtra, Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges and Telenor Group CEO Benedicte Fasmer, issued a joint statement urging the European Union to change course on the proposed Digital Networks Act (DNA) and Cybersecurity Act (CSA). Other signatories included executives from TIM, KPN, Proximus, Swisscom and Liberty Global.

The operators said the mobile sector needs €475 billion to build world-class mobile networks and argued that the DNA, presented by the European Commission in January, does not improve the investment and innovation environment for European connectivity. The statement called for spectrum licences to be granted by default on an indefinite basis, with terms of at least 40 years in exceptional cases, and said European operators have spent €110 billion on spectrum licences over the past 12 years.

The group also opposed a mandatory copper switch-off, saying operators should decide when to dismantle legacy networks based on customer demand and market conditions. The statement said European operators invest more than €30 billion per year in fibre-to-the-home networks and asked policymakers to leave more room for advanced 5G and 6G services, including network slicing and quality-of-service differentiation.

On cybersecurity, the operators said CSA rules requiring the removal of equipment from third-country suppliers deemed high risk, including Huawei, could impose up to €40 billion in replacement costs on the sector. The group called for a proportionate, risk-based approach that includes alternative measures, arguing that a general replacement mandate could divert capital from fibre, 5G and 6G investment.