The European Commission (EC) has presented a proposal to coordinate the use of the 700MHz band for mobile services. It will improve internet access for European citizens and help develop cross-border applications. As part of its strategy to create a ‘Digital Single Market’, the EC has proposed a balanced long-term approach for the use of the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band (470MHz-790MHz), which is chiefly used for TV broadcasting. According to the proposal, more spectrum will be made available for mobile services in the 700MHz band (694MHz-790MHz) by 2020. Frequencies in the sub-700MHz range (470MHz-694MHz) will remain available, as a priority, for audiovisual services.
Andrus Ansip, vice president for the Digital Single Market, commented: ‘28 different approaches to manage radio frequencies in the Commission do not make economic sense in the Digital Single Market. Today we come with our first proposal on how to better coordinate spectrum in the EU. We propose a joint approach to use the 700MHz band for mobile services. This band is the sweet spot for both wide coverage and high speeds. It will give top-quality internet access to all Europeans, even in rural areas, and pave the way for 5G, the next generation of communication network’.
Details of the EC proposal can be found at the URL below.