Brussels, 30/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - Accessing everything necessary information from head office from a computer in the field is fast becoming vital to the efficiency of private enterprise. This is also true for public service staff when travelling. It is, in other words, a matter of ensuring access to information anytime and anywhere. To help the EU meet this challenge, the European Commission issued a communication on mobile broadband services on Wednesday, as we reported (see EUROPE of 16 June, p. 16). The document details a blueprint to achieve and maintain the lead of the EU in developing mobile broadband services. The Commission acknowledges that the challenges ahead include ensuring interoperability of technologies and networks while guaranteeing intellectual property protection for services with high value-added content. It emphasised that in order to achieve this, targeted research and development will be necessary, both on basic research and to accelerate technical innovation.
According to Erkki Liikanen, "Mobile broadband services are an economic locomotive in their own right, but are also vital to sustain competitiveness throughout the economy”. The Commissioner for the information society thinks that by building on Europe's strength in the mobile communications sector, “these new services will increase productivity by boosting labour efficiency in public services and business. Anywhere, any time availability will be essential to a European information economy where the mobility of people, goods and services is increasing.” And Mr Liikanen emphasised that “all stakeholders, including Member States, need to address these issues together, to ensure that Europe does not miss out on the benefits that mobile broadband services can bring.
The main areas in the Commission communication are as follows: 1) Research and development - the Commission envisages the creation of a “technology platform” in the mobile and wireless, with the key aims being the creation of a strategic research agenda, achieving the necessary critical mass for research and innovation and mobilising significant public and private financing. They say that the drafting of the 7th Community framework programme for research provides an opportunity for the creation of such a platform. 2) Interoperability. The Commission invites industry to take urgent measures to improve the interoperability of mobile broadband services so as to facilitate communication and th supply of services on different networks. 3) Value-added content. The regulatory framework for intellectual property rights should be implemented so as to foster the creation of high value-added content. 4) Spectrum policy. A coordinated European approach towards availability and flexible usage is needed. 5) E-payments. Prudential rules governing the use of “e-money” , where relevant to mobile payments, should be applied in a proportionate and risk-sensitive manner. 6) Base stations and masts. Action is required to address regulatory barriers to their establishment in some member states. Member states should address the problems posed by the gaps between local policy on establishing base stations. The difficulties encountered in the physical deployment of networks should be overcome through harmonisation of conditions and by speeding up the procedures which apply to the acquisition of sites and the establishment of base stations.