News
Proposed rules require member states to free up frequencies by end of June 2020.
The EU Council on Thursday approved allocating the 700 MHz band for mobile services in all member states.
The plan requires EU countries to reassign the 694 MHz-790 MHz band to mobile broadband under what the EU calls "harmonised technical conditions" no later than 30 June 2020. With that in mind, member states must adopt a spectrum roadmap by 30 June 2018, setting out how they will implement the decision.
Countries may delay the process by up to two years if they encounter problems such as harmful interference with services in adjacent bands, and cross-border coordination issues.
Momentum behind the 700 MHz band has been gathering pace since it was globally harmonised by the ITU in November 2015.
"With the opening of the 700 MHz band for mobile broadband, an important step towards the availability of broadband for everybody in the EU has been taken," said Henk Kamp, the Dutch minister for economic affairs, in a statement.
"Fast Internet is not only important for economic development in the EU, but also for the daily life of its citizens," he said.
The 700 MHz band is widely used by digital TV broadcasters. In order to safeguard those services, Thursday’s decision also stipulates that spectrum in the 470 MHz-694 MHz band will be available for digital TV and wireless microphones until at least 2030.
The EU Council’s position will now be put to the European Parliament. Both institutions must agree on the text before it can become law.
Of course, some EU markets are already pushing ahead with using 700-MHz spectrum for mobile.
In June 2015, Germany became the first big European market to sell off 700-MHz spectrum. France followed suit in November.
Meanwhile, U.K. telco watchdog Ofcom has been vocal about its plan to clear the 700 MHz band by 2020.
