Building inclusion into the digital core: What the European Accessibility Act means for telcos

July 01, 2025 02:53 PM

As the digital world becomes ever more essential to modern life, inclusivity is no longer optional, it’s imperative. With the European Accessibility Act (EAA) having come into force last week (28 June), telecommunications providers operating in the EU must now prepare for sweeping changes to ensure their services are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.

Mark Opland, vice president of product design at Entrust, believes the EAA marks a pivotal moment for the industry.

“At its heart, the EAA is about encouraging greater inclusion and breaking down barriers across the EU,” says Opland. “It’s not simply about replacing existing legislation — it complements it, and sets a harmonised standard across member states.”

The directive, which will become mandatory for new products and services by June 2025, explicitly includes telecommunications services. That means mobile and broadband operators across the continent, regardless of where they’re headquartered, are now legally obligated to meet new accessibility requirements.

“The implication for service providers is huge,” Opland says. “Yes, there’s a legal obligation, but beyond that, this is about ensuring everyone has digital access. Companies that don’t prioritise accessibility are, often inadvertently, creating barriers that limit people’s economic and social mobility.”

For telecoms businesses, the message is clear: inclusivity is both a moral imperative and a commercial opportunity. “It’s not just a compliance issue,” Opland stresses.

“By making your services more accessible, you’re reaching a broader customer base, improving your brand reputation, and showing that you’re genuinely inclusive.”

So, how can telcos begin to align with the EAA’s requirements? According to Opland, the first step is a thorough self-assessment.

“Conducting an accessibility audit is essential. You need to understand where you stand today before you can plan your path forward,” he says. This audit should be accompanied by upskilling teams in key standards such as EN 301 549 and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which underpin the EAA’s technical criteria.

Beyond internal knowledge, product and service design must evolve. “This could mean redesigning digital interfaces to work with screen readers, allowing for font resizing, or offering content in alternative formats,” explains Opland. “You also need to support assistive technologies. But more than that, it’s about embedding accessibility thinking throughout the design and development lifecycle.”

And it doesn’t stop there. As Opland emphasises, accessibility isn’t a one-off project. “This isn’t a box you tick and move on. As technologies, platforms and user expectations evolve, your services need to adapt too. It’s a continuous commitment.”

While the EAA directly affects companies doing business in the EU, its influence extends further. “It’s interesting to compare this with frameworks in the UK and US,” says Opland.

“The UK has its own rules under the Equality Act, which focuses on ‘reasonable adjustments’, but the EAA introduces more specific technical benchmarks. Many UK businesses trading in the EU will likely adopt those standards universally to streamline operations.”

In the US, he notes, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) serves as the foundational law. While it doesn’t set the same technical requirements as the EAA, US courts are increasingly interpreting it to include digital accessibility.

“In practice, US companies aim for WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance — which aligns closely with the EAA’s standards,” says Opland. “So, while the laws differ, the technical end goals are converging.”

Looking forward, Opland sees an exciting shift underway, one where accessibility becomes synonymous with innovation. “Historically, many technologies we all use today, from typewriters to voice assistants, were first created for accessibility,” he notes.

“Now, we’re seeing AI play a role in developing adaptive interfaces tailored to individual users’ needs. Gesture and voice control are expanding how people interact with technology.”

Despite this progress, Opland warns against treating accessibility as a one-dimensional compliance task. “Too many organisations still see it as a checklist rather than a core design principle,” he says. But as digital services become increasingly central to everyday life, the pressure to prioritise inclusive design will only intensify.

For the telecoms sector, the EAA represents more than just regulatory change. It’s a chance to lead on inclusion, modernise customer experiences, and build services that truly work for everyone.