Brussels, 12/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 12 April, the European Parliament's industry, research and energy committee (ITRE) voted overwhelmingly in favour of the report by Gunnar Hökmark (EPP, Sweden). Forty-six MEPs voted in favour of the Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP) and one MEP abstained. Hökmark welcomed the vote as “very good news for the European economy” and called for the programme to “pave the way for a development where the EU can take the global lead regarding broadband speeds, mobility, coverage and capacity”.
The report underpins the European Commission proposal presented by Commissioner Kroes on 20 September 2010 (EUROPE 10218), namely the implementation of a five-year strategic programme to encourage efficient radio spectrum management and sufficient broadband wireless coverage by 2013. This programme aims to deliver universal fast broadband internet coverage with speeds of at least 30 Mbps for all Europeans by 2020. Ensuring rapid broadband connections to remote areas and providing innovative services throughout Europe could be done by allocating the “digital dividend” (the radio frequency bands that will be freed up when EU member states switch from analogue to digital television broadcasting) to new services, particularly mobile internet.
Under the Commission's plans, member states would have to make the 800 MHz waveband available for harmonised use of wireless broadband services by 2013. The ITRE committee passed an amendment, which would allow member states to ask for a postponement until the end of 2015, or even longer if they have problems in cross-border frequency coordination with neighbouring third countries. After 2013, MEPs want the EU to be even bolder. The rapporteur explained that this would “help Europe provide a positive response to increasing mobile data traffic and would subsequently help develop new services and economic growth”. In addition, the Commission should monitor technological developments and the efficiency of spectrum use to assess if additional frequencies (such as the 700 MHz band) should also be harmonised to make room for new users and services.
Hökmark explained than the member states should adopt “bold political decisions” in an effort to provide Europe with the means of ensuring leadership in this domain. MEPs indicate that regulators should encourage effective and efficient use of frequencies, while also carefully examining whether the assignment of new frequencies could distort competition in the market. For example, member states could limit the scope of the spectrum per operator or reserve part of it for future new providers. At the same time, procedures for allocating frequencies should be non-discriminatory and seek to prevent anti-competitive outcomes. The parliamentary committee underlines that this development of the internal market and digital services should eventually provide a pan-European level playing field for all market participants and lead to pan-European services in future. The Parliament is expected to vote on the report in the June plenary in Strasbourg during a first reading.
In a press release, the European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association (ETNO) and the GSM Association (GSMA) of mobile operators and related companies point out that at the vote it will be important to ensure that the frequency is made available through the digital dividend to mobile communication services and that in this context, the Commission's European programme should be adopted as soon as possible. They are urging support for the Commission's proposal for allocating the 800 MHz band frequency to mobile services by 2013 as a means of guaranteeing broadband cover in remote and rural areas. (I.L./transl.fl)