Input paper on potential Regulatory Implications of Software-Defined Networking and Network Functions Virtualisation

In recent years the electronic communications sector (together with the IT sector) has been working very intensely on two new fundamental technological developments: Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV). Both aim to transform the way that network operators design and operate networks. In order to support NRA to cope with the possible regulatory challenges related to these new technological developments appropriately and to respond to the request of the European Commission for a BEREC opinion on the review of the regulatory framework with regard to SDN and NFV, this document has the following two objectives.
Firstly, it aims to identify potential regulatory implications of SDN and NFV. Secondly, it aims to answer the questions of the request of the European Commission and to identify which adaptations of the regulatory framework of the European Commission are needed. This document gives an overview of what SDN and NFV is and on the current state of development of SDN and NFV. Then regulatory implications of SDN and NFV are analysed and the requirements the revised regulatory framework needs to fulfil are discussed.