ITRE Committee proposes RSPP amendments

There should be 1200 MHz of additional spectrum for mobile data services by 2015, a European Parliament committee said following a recent vote on the European Commission's proposed five-year radio spectrum policy programme (RSPP).

The Industry, Transport, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee strongly supported the Commission proposal but with several key changes, it said in a statement. Swedish MEP Gunnar Hökmark of the European People's Party, who drafted the Parliament's response to the Commission, has warned that Europe will fall behind if policymakers do not liberalise as much spectrum as possible. The committee members approved several amendments designed to help achieve that.

ITRE backed the Commission's call for EU countries to make the 800 MHz band available for harmonised use of wireless broadband services by 1 January 2013, but passed an amendment to allow governments with cross-border frequency coordination problems to seek postponement until the end of 2015 or later.

MEPs want the EU to be "even bolder" and allocate at least 1200 MHz of spectrum for mobile broadband services by 2015, the committee said. They also want the Commission to monitor technological developments and the efficiency of spectrum usage to see if more frequencies, such as the 700 MHz band, should be harmonised for new users and services.

ITRE members added that regulators should encourage effective spectrum use while ensuring that the assignment of new frequencies does not distort market competition. For example, EU Member States could limit the scope of spectrum per operator or reserve part of it for future new services.

Hökmark said the vote was "very good news for the European economy". The Commission proposal, as amended by ITRE, will be put to a first-reading vote in the Parliament's June plenary session.•