Brussels, 01/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is preparing to follow the recommendations of the Lamy report on the use of the radio spectrum. It is expected to propose on Tuesday 2 February that the 700 Megahertz band (694-790 MHz) should be dedicated exclusively to mobile operators by 2020 (+/- two years).
Currently, the UHF (ultra-high frequency) band - the 700 MHz band - is used by terrestrial broadcasting networks in Europe. The Commission wants to follow the global trend and allocate this frequency, which, it has said, “represents 'prime real estate' in terms of use, capacity and reach”, to mobile telephony services. Since these waves pass through concrete, this would provide the mobile network with the advantage of better penetration of buildings and would be very useful in sparsely populated areas as good coverage can be provided with a limited number of aerials.
The forthcoming proposal seeks to organise access by broadcasting and mobile telephony networks, it being impossible for them to co-exist on the same frequency. According to our information, under the proposal, member states will be required to publish a roadmap in mid-2017 setting out all the steps to be taken to free up the 700 MHz band and, by 31 December of the same year, to conclude all frequency coordination agreements in the EU. It is expected, too, to set 30 June 2020 as the deadline for effective access on the 700 MHz band to be given, under harmonised technical conditions, to mobile operators. A two-year period of grace will be allowed, however. The proposal for a decision is likely to require the member states to reserve the 470-694 MHz frequencies for the broadcasting of mass audience (or general interest) audio-visual media services and make the Commission responsible for publishing an assessment report by 2025.
The proposals are largely in line with the recommendations made by for European External Trade and former WTO Director General Pascal Lamy. According to a second source, the only difference could be the omission of any reference to 2030. Lamy suggested in September 2014 that the frequencies below 700 MHz be reserved for terrestrial broadcasters until 2030 in order to safeguard the regulatory security and stability in the remaining UHF spectrum. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)