The swift opening of the digital dividend for mobile services is key for the success of the Digital Agenda for Europe

BRUSSELS – In view of the vote on the report by the rapporteur MEP Günnar Hökmark, in the EP Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, ETNO and GSMA would like to reiterate the key importance of spectrum to bridge the digital divide and achieve the objectives of the Digital Agenda.

ETNO and GSMA believe that the RSPP is an ambitious and timely instrument which can provide clear indications to all stakeholders on spectrum use and management, thus creating enormous economic, social and cultural benefits to Europe and its citizens. ETNO and GSMA call on the members of the ITRE Committee to support a swift opening up of the digital dividend to mobile broadband services and to work towards a speedy adoption of the programme.

Mobile technology plays a crucial role in reaching the Digital Agenda objectives, ensuring broadband coverage is brought to citizens in all areas, including remote and rural regions. A major constraint for developing mobile broadband networks today, however, is access to radio spectrum. The opening up of the digital dividend will allow the industry to meet the rapidly growing consumer need for mobile data traffic and demand for increased capacity.

ETNO and GSMA members support the European Commission’s proposal for the allocation of the 800 MHz band to mobile services throughout Europe from 2013 and for investigating the designation of additional frequency bands that will help in providing broadband coverage in remote and rural areas as well as in indoor environments.

As global operators, ETNO and GSMA members welcome a more harmonised usage of spectrum, allowing for certain authorisations and procedural conditions to be defined in a concerted way between the European Commission and member states.

Finally ETNO and GSMA agree with the European Commission’s view that the RSPP should include the consideration of all types of radio spectrum usage and not be restricted to Electronic Communications Services (ECS, which are covered by the Regulatory Framework). We recognise that such principles may need to be implemented progressively.