EU Consultation Considers Making Google, Apple, Meta and Netflix Pay for Network Costs

The European Commission has launched a consultation on the future of the continent's telecoms sector, a process that may require companies including Google, Apple, Meta Platform and Netflix to contribute to network costs. Operators including Deutsche Telekom, Orange and Telefonica have long lobbied for large technology firms to help fund the rollout of 5G and broadband services, pointing out that Amazon and Microsoft account for over half of internet data traffic. However, tech firms have countered that this would amount to an "internet tax" and undermine EU network neutrality rules. The 12-week consultation will end on 19 May