It is also proposing that all countries are to have provided licenses for the use of already harmonised spectrum (900/100MHz, 2,5GHz, 3.4-3.8GHz) for mobile broadband services by the end of 2012.
That appears to open up the prospect of wide scale spectrum refarming across the EU, as all the current main bands are made available for mobile broadband.
A five year policy programme for planning and harmonising the use of the EU’s radio spectrum has been proposed by the European Commission. The proposal, which will be sent to the European Parliament and EU Council of Ministers for adoption, includes steps to promote efficient spectrum management, and in particular, to ensure that sufficient spectrum is made available for wireless broadband.
This will significantly contribute to bringing fast broadband connections to people in remote areas, where it is not economically viable to install cable networks, and to making innovative services available across Europe.
Wireless broadband is essential to deliver the target of broadband for all by 2013, one of the key goals of the Digital Agenda for Europe, the EC stated. It continued, that more efficient and competitive use of spectrum in the EU would also promote the development of innovative technologies and services, to the benefit of consumers and of Europe's overall competitiveness. The proposal forms part of a package of broadband measures presented by the Commission this week.