Since its inception, the Directive has provided a stable and secure legal framework for broadcasting services in the Community. Whilst future technological and market developments may require revisions to its provisions, the Directive remains today an effective instrument for point-to-multipoint communication and is well adapted to the current state of the market and technological developments.

Table 1 Current provisions concerning use of cable TV networks for the provision of telecommunications services can be summarised as follows: Use of cable TV networks for liberalised services Belgium No Denmark No France Non-voice services only Germany No Greece ---------* Ireland No legal provision Italy ---------* Luxembourg No legal provision Netherlands Limited use Portugal No Spain No UK Yes Source: "L'impact de l'authorisation de la fourniture de services de télécommunications liberalisés par les câblo-opérateurs", IDATE, 1994, ...[+++]and additional analysis * No cable TV networks available Table 2 Minimum Capacity requirements (approximate) for services Speech: 64 kilo-bits/second ISDN: 140 kilo-bits/second Standard quality moving images: 2 mega-bits/second Enhanced quality moving images: 10 mega-bits/second Table 3 Technical limits on network infrastructure to the home i. Twisted Copper pairs: used by TOs to connect end users to the local switch: up to 257 kilo-bits/second: reliable service to all customers on local network the greater the capacity requirement above 257 mega-bits the greater the trade-offs of increased error rates, lack of reliability and limits on the distance which the end user can be from a central switch.

The extension of the Article 90 directive must be seen in the context of the following points: * the benefits of services liberalisation in the multi-media context will not be realised without liberalsiation of available CATV network capacity *Many of the Member States, also the most important in terms of the EUs telecoms markets, urged the Commission at the last Telecoms Council to present proposals as soon as possible for rapid liberalisation of CATV networks. *The Commission has underlined its intention to present its proposals in this context to both the Council and the Parliament and to proceed in close cooperation with them, with u ...[+++]tmost respect for transparency *the development of new, multi-media services is increasingly rapid with the anticipation of the information society. The market expanding. The revenues of the TOs are not threatened by a transfer of customers, since they are, for the most part, not even providing these new services yet.

The goal: multi-media services In many of the Member States existing national regulation restricts use of cable TV networks for all but simple, one-way broadcasting services (see table 1).

The amendment allows service providers the choice of offering their services over cable TV networks.