Axon Partners Group Consulting was commissioned by the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO) to conduct an independent study on the impact of big tech hyperscalers on communications networks. The study outlines the fact that the tech giants have driven a staggering 10-fold growth in data traffic over the past ten years, but made little or no economic contribution to the development of national networks. It shows that, with an illustrative yearly contribution of €20 billion from the big tech firms to the development of telecommunications infrastructure, EU’s GDP could raise by €72 billion in 2025 and could bring substantial environmental benefits.

Our report argues that Europe requires a new funding model to deliver the world-class digital infrastructure it needs to remain competitive.