The GSMA is calling on the European Commission to support Member States’ requests for release of the 700MHz band, preferably between 2018 and 2020 and potentially earlier for markets that are able to release it sooner, such as Finland, France, Germany and Sweden. The industry association hopes the EC will accelerate the review of the sub-700MHz band, as the mobile and broadcast markets are evolving quite rapidly, as demonstrated by ongoing 5G research programmes in Europe.
Anne Bouverot, Director General of the GSMA, commented on the release of the European Commission’s (EC) summary of the results of the Lamy Report public consultation: “Allowing for flexible use of the UHF band will also mean the EC will be one step closer to achieving its Digital Agenda objectives of providing high-quality mobile broadband to European citizens.”
“A co-primary allocation will give Member States full flexibility to use UHF spectrum for both mobile and broadcast in the future. If mobile data continues to grow as predicted, national governments will retain the option of reallocating more spectrum to mobile if required. This flexible solution will protect consumer interests by empowering people in Europe to choose how they want to access content. It also supplies long-term guarantees for the future of digital terrestrial TV in European countries that rely on terrestrial broadcast services, ensuring a robust future for both industries.”
