Brussels, 28/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - In a recommendation and communication adopted on Wednesday 28 October, the European Commission calls on member states to speed up the switch over from analogue to digital TV to free up spectrum bands which could be used for new innovative services. It also wants coordination among member states in allocating frequencies to gain full economic benefit from the launch of wireless services. “Europe will only make the most of the digital dividend if we work together on a common plan. (…) I also urge national authorities to use the digital dividend in a pro-competitive way to open up the market for new operators and new services, maximising the impact on the economy,” said Commissioner for Information Society and Media Viviane Reding.
The proposals call on member states to speed up the switch over to digital TV so that the process can be completed by 1 January 2012. Five countries (Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden) are ready, along with the Flemish region of Belgium. By 2010, Austria, Denmark, Malta, Slovenia and Spain are expected to have completed the switch over. Only Ireland and Poland are behind on the scheduled timetable. The Commission also wants Europe to benefit from the new services which will be deployed with the freeing up of portions of the spectrum. It says that European coordination of the digital dividend spectrum as a whole, if achieved before 2015, would increase its potential economic impact by an additional €20-50 billion over 15 years. To achieve this goal, the Commission proposes using the 790-862 MHz sub-band (the spectrum that travels far and through buildings) for the new wireless services (such as 3G and 4G mobile phone services that allow video streaming, full web browsing and fast downloads on a mobile handset). This measure will help achieve the target of high-speed broadband coverage for all of the EU population by the end of 2013. So that service providers and makers of devices and applications can then do business across borders, and consumers find it easier to use “roaming” services when they travel, the Commission will harmonise the technical conditions for using the sub-band so that the Single Market is not fragmented when EU member states open the sub-band for new services in their country. A similar approach laid the ground for the emergence of GSM mobile phones in the 1990s. The Commission also proposes to address, with the European Parliament and the Council, strategic objectives like the pace of opening the digital dividend to uses other than high-power broadcasting, agreeing a common European position in negotiations with neighbouring countries on the digital dividend spectrum, and the possibility to agree future EU targets for using more efficient technologies in the digital dividend.
In the first half of 2010, the Commission will seek the European Parliament's and Council's support on the roadmap, and further debate with existing and potential users of the spectrum on longer term issues before finalising proposals. (I.L./transl.rt)