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Member states should assign 700-MHz band for mobile broadband by mid-2020, according to latest Digital Single Market proposal.
The European Commission this week presented a proposal for the coordinated use of 700-MHz spectrum for mobile broadband, particularly with a view to ensuring the region has sufficient spectrum for 5G services.
The proposal forms part of the Commission’s Digital Single Market programme. It recommends the use of the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band – that is, 470 MHz-790 MHz – by both the mobile and broadcasting industries, with mobile taking the top end of the frequency range.
"We propose a joint approach to use the 700-MHz band for mobile services. This band is the sweet spot for both wide coverage and high speeds," said Andrus Ansip, vice president for the Digital Single Market, on Tuesday.
"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," Ansip added. "At the same time, we secure frequencies for the audiovisual sector and boost the development of technologies which make an efficient use of radio waves."
As it stands, the UHF band is mainly used for TV broadcasting. The European Commission wants more spectrum in the 694 MHz-790 MHz band to be made available for mobile services by 2020, while frequencies between 470 MHz and 694 MHz remain at the disposal of the audiovisual sector.
The Commission is calling on all European Union countries to assign the 700-MHz band to mobile broadband by 30 June 2020 at the latest, the date reflecting the timelines associated with 5G deployment, it said.
In order to meet that deadline, member states should publish their plans for releasing the spectrum by mid-2017 and conclude cross-border coordination arrangements by the end of that year.
Two European countries have already allocated the 700-MHz band for mobile. Germany was first in June, raising €1 billion in the process, while France followed suit in November and sold the same amount of spectrum – 2×30 MHz – for €2.8 billion.
Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the U.K. have outlined plans to repurpose the 700-MHz band in the next few years, the Commission noted.
