The FCC plays a significant role in the U.S. wireless industry and will continue to do so with the forthcoming incentive auction of 600 MHz broadcast TV spectrum. However, in Europe carriers need to contend with many more regulators, including both national ones and those at the European Commission. Yet the faces of European telecom regulation have changed considerably in the nine months since November 2014, with three new faces at the European Commission and new top regulators in the UK and France.
While it's not quite the "Wild West," all five regulators can very much be regarded as the new sheriffs in town. Each faces some tough times ahead in terms of implementing new policies and updating existing regulations to match a rapidly changing telecom market that is only just beginning to return to growth following several years of stagnation. FierceWireless:Europe takes a look at the "new sheriffs" of European telecom regulation, including their background, early achievements and the challenges they will face during their time in office, in this special report.