BEREC publishes Guidelines on Geographical surveys of network deployments – Verification of information

18 June 2021

These new Guidelines provide guidance on how to verify the indicators defined in the Core Guidelines to assist National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) in the consistent application of Geographical surveys of network deployments, namely indicators characterising the current reach and quality of service of broadband networks as declared by the operator, including the declaration of an area or grid covered by a very high capacity network. 

In this document, BEREC describes the verification methods and provides recommendations to be considered by NRAs and/or Other Competent Authorities (OCAs) (hereinafter ‘Authorities’), who may choose among various methods according to their needs and the availability of information. However, the validation of address databases and the verification of information regarding planned deployments are out of the currently published Guidelines' scope. 

Authorities should publish their verification methodologies and underbuild the verification results to establish transparency and make their proceedings plausible to market participants.

The draft Guidelines were subject to a public consultation from 15 December 2020 to 27 January 2021. BEREC received seven contributions from operators, operators‘ associations, public bodies and other stakeholders. BEREC has adopted the final version at the 47th BEREC plenary meeting held on 10-11 June 2021. 

The entire set of BEREC Guidelines with respect to this matter (BEREC Guidelines to assist NRAs on the consistent application of Geographical surveys of network deployments – i.e. the Core Guidelines; BEREC Guidelines on Geographical surveys of network deployments Article 22 (2), 22 (3) and 22 (4); and the current BEREC Guidelines on geographical surveys of network deployments - Verification of information) constitute the unique basis for the consistent implementation of broadband mapping activities within the purposes of Article 22 of the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) and other related Article 22 activities. BEREC has also published a handbook containing all three mentioned Guidelines, for convenience and ease of reference.