Former Commissioner Pascal Lamy proposed in his report that the 700MHz Ultra High Frequency (UHF) spectrum should be dedicated to European wireless broadband around 2020. The move is in response to the increasing demand for video on smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices.
Ultra-high-frequency radio spectrum is what enables broadcasters to send signals to mobile devices and TV sets in order to communicate with telecommunications towers, getting packets of data that make up video, email and images. With an increasing number of data-hungry consumers that are seeking for better services such as faster download speed and reduced latency in online virtual gaming, industries in Europe showed eagerness to cash in on faster Internet services.
Telecom operators are keen on using the band following the TV industry's shift to digital transmission from analogue which opened several opportunities such as content streaming platforms.
"I'm on a sort of peace-making mission for the future between two communities who both need spectrum in the UHF band," says Pascal Lamy. "China, Japan and Korea are already providing operators with a framework for how to use spectrum."
The 700MHz spectrum with its high frequency wavelength offers enhanced network speeds and improved indoor penetration as compared with lower wireless frequencies. There's also the opportunity to extend coverage in rural areas where the coverage from telecom companies is expanding.
In Europe, 700MHz is still reserved at the most for TV broadcasts and wireless microphones just like other UHF spectrum available. The report by Lamy indicates that the spectrum should at least be reserved for wireless broadband by the year 2020. When this happens, it would allow a more synchronized approach to 700MHz across a market that is expected to be unified.
Currently, European countries such as Sweden, Finland and Germany are keen on moving ahead in using 700MHz for broadband. However, it would result to fragmentation of the service and could make things more difficult among device manufacturers.
The report also suggested that the remaining UHF spectrum that falls below 700MHz be reserved for broadcasters until 2030. Europe should decline any plans for primary mobile allocation to the 470-694MHz band at the upcoming World Radio Communication Conference in 2015. Lastly, it proposed that a review to assess developments in the market and technology should be considered for 2025.
"For too long the broadband and broadcasting communities have been at loggerheads about the use of the UHF spectrum band. There have been many different views and perspectives. On the basis of discussions with the two sectors, I have put forward a single scheme that could provide a way forward for Europe to thrive in the digital century," says Lamy in a statement.
