Universal service and disabled people

The EU regulatory framework enacted 25 May 2011 has the objective to provide functionally equal access to telecommunication services for disabled persons. What are the rules, who are the target groups, and what obstacles do they face when using various telecommunication services? And what arrangements do exist in a selected group of six EU Member States to remove these obstacles? Recommendations include the introduction of a more market-oriented approach, independent of specific networks.

► The new European Communications Framework introduces an extended universal service concept. ► It mandates functionally equal access to telecommunication services for disabled persons. ► Over 10% of the population is visually, auditorily, motor or cognitively disabled. ► Financial and physical bottlenecks exist in accessing current and future universal services. ► A market based approach with freedom of choice is possibly a key to resolving these bottlenecks.