The European Parliament approved a plan that requires EU member states to open up more radio spectrum for mobile broadband use by 2013.
Under the radio spectrum policy programme (RSPP), member states will have to authorise the use of the 800 MHz band for wireless broadband by 1 January 2013.
Currently, the 800 MHz band is used to broadcast analogue TV channels in most member states, but will be freed by the end of 2012 when all TV sets will be switched to digital. This so-called digital dividend will be assigned to mobile Internet.
The 800 MHz spectrum band is better at penetrating buildings and provides superior indoor reception and travels longer distances without losing strength than spectrum above 1 GHz.
The EU said the management of radio frequencies remains a national responsibility, but that its efforts play an important role in coordinating policy and setting standards.
We have ensured that sufficient amounts of spectrum both for coverage and capacity are made accessible in the EU to achieve the fastest mobile broadband worldwide,” stated Swedish Christian Democrat Gunnar Hökmark.
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- In October 2011, the European Council endorsed an amendment by MEPs to widen the scope of an inventory of the existing spectrum between 400 MHz and 6 GHz in order to identify where efficiency could be improved and ensure that the exponential growth in wireless data traffic can be met by future reallocations.