Brussels, 16/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has welcomed the European Parliament's adoption on 15 February of a radio spectrum deal. “Adoption of the Radio Spectrum Policy Programme will help reduce the digital divide, make Europe a connected and competitive continent and introduce more wireless broadband choices”, said European Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes.
Radio spectrum supports 3.5 million jobs and more than €250 billion of economic activity each year in Europe, including incredibly popular services such as wireless broadband. On 20 September 2010, the Commission proposed a five-year action programme to promote more efficient use of the radio spectrum and to ensure that a sufficient spectrum be made available for high-speed wireless broadband by 2013 (or 2015 in exceptional circumstances). This is to allow those living in remote areas the means to have access to high-speed broadband and to make innovative services available throughout all of the EU. On 13 December 2011, following trialogue discussions, member states adopted a decision on the programme which Parliament has now endorsed. Specific steps to be taken by the EU member states and the Commission before 1 July 2015 include: (1) by the end of 2012, member states should have authorised the use of the harmonised 2.5-2.69 GHz, 3.4-3.8 GHz and 900/1800 MHz bands for use by wireless broadband communications, including 3rd and 4th generation mobile communication services; (2) by 1 January 2013, all member states (unless an individual exemption has been obtained before that date), should have authorised the use of the 800 MHz band for wireless broadband communications, one of the main objectives here being to cover sparsely populated areas; (3) by mid-2013 at the latest, the Commission, in cooperation with member states, will set out the details for an inventory to analyse efficient spectrum use, in the 400 MHz to 6 GHz range, in the EU; this will form the basis of possible further action on the coordinated allocation of spectrum bands to specific uses, such as wireless broadband. Additional action by 2015 at the latest includes: (1) spectrum trading between spectrum users in a set of harmonised bands where flexible use has already been introduced; (2) the Commission and member states ensuring sufficient harmonised spectrum becomes available for safety services and civil protection. (IL/transl.rt)