Framework review agreement greeted with disappointment and hope

The Commission and several member states feel the compromise on the telecoms framework agreed by EU ministers didn't go far enough but there is optimism about reaching a deal in the lifetime of this Parliament.

Although Sweden and the United Kingdom criticised the "lack of ambition" regarding liberalisation of spectrum management in the EU, they did not block a majority vote by the EU governments on a reform of European telecommunication rules which aims to increase competition and consumer protection.

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/framework-review-agreement-greeted-with-disappointment-and-hope

December 2008 printed issue available for download

Our theme this month is the framework review package, which European ministers will be discussing in the telecoms council this morning.

We explain the thinking behind the compromise drawn up by the French Presidency and outline the Commission's concerns. Viviane Reding sees so little prospect of achieving a useful compromise she is hoping the RSPG will drive progress on spectrum policy, especially the digital dividend.

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/december-2008-printed-issue-available-for-download

Consultation: Consultation on regularising the use of personal locator beacons

ComReg is canvassing opinions on what the legal and regulatory requirements would be if the use of Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) were to expand substantially. Currently only individuals possessing ship or aircraft radio licences are permitted to register a PLB. However the worldwide increase in the use of PLBs in outdoor pursuits such as hiking, hunting and skiing has prompted ComReg to consider whether there is a danger of placing an unsustainable burden on the emergency services.

Read the full details at:
http://www.policytracker.com/alerts.php?tact=840

EU member states set to water down telecom package

Although the telecoms framework compromise due to be agreed by Ministers on Thursday falls short of the Commission's hopes it contains general support for spectrum liberalisation and a boost for MEPs seeking greater influence in this area.

European Union member state telecommunication ministers are expected to agree on the future regulation of electronic communications in the EU (telecoms package), and specifically on radiofrequencies management, when they meet in Brussels on November 27. However, they will not go as far as the European Commission had hoped.

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/eu-member-states-set-to-water-down-telecom-package

New initiative on stalled GSM Directive

Brussels has released a new proposal to resolve the dispute between the Commission and the Parliament which for the past 18 months has prevented the re-farming of the 900Mhz band.

Under the current Directive the band is restricted to 2G GSM services. This means mobile operators are not allowed to deploy 3G services in 900Mhz, even though its superior propagation properties mean this would offer considerable savings by reducing the number of base stations.

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/new-initiative-on-stalled-gsm-directive

Commission despairs of telecoms review, looks to RSPG

Viviane Reding sees so little prospect of achieving a useful compromise at the European Council she is hoping Europe's regulators will drive progress on spectrum policy, especially the digital dividend.

2009 is going to be a year of unprecedented importance for spectrum policy, according to Commissioner Reding and Dániel Pataki, newly elected Chairman of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group. They used a rare press conference specifically on spectrum policy to make a dramatic call for action over the digital dividend as well as issuing a joint statement saying spectrum was a policy area in which Europe "needed more ambition."

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/commission-despairs-of-telecoms-review-looks-to-rspg

License trades show modest levels in Australia

More detailed information from The Australian Communications and Media Authority underline the difficulties of making international comparisons of spectrum trading.

To mark the fourth anniversary of the introduction of spectrum trading in Europe PolicyTracker has been trying to benchmark the success of the policy.

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/license-trades-show-modest-levels-in-australia

Long awaited FCC decisions transform U.S. wireless landscape

America has scored a world first in approving the use of whitespace devices. The same FCC meeting which made the decision also gave the green light to create a national WiMAX network.

There has been a generally positive reaction in the IT and telecoms sector to two key decisions at the election day meeting of the US Federal Communications Commission which will bring wireless broadband to many rural areas for the first time and provide added competition elsewhere.

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/long-awaited-fcc-decisions-transform-u.s.-wireless-landscape

Consultation: The use of frequency band 2.6 GHz for electronic communications services

The Italian regulator, AGCOM, has asked for views on the allocation of the 2.6GHz band. The consultation notes that this has been designated as one of the first bands to be licensed under the technology neutral WAPECS initiative and says the band would be suitable for WiMAX or LTE services.

Furthermore, in Italy the greater part of the band (2520-2655 MHz) is used by the military. AGCOM asks respondents to assess the level of civil and military demand and suggest, in the light of these conflicting claims and the European initiatives for the band, how best it should be allocated and managed.

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/consultations/the-use-of-frequency-band-2.6-ghz-for-electronic-communications-services

WiMAX camp fears another standards battle

The furore over the eventual admittance of mobile WiMAX to the IMT family is set to flare up again with a disagreement on how to proceed with official recognition of the frequency-division duplexing version of WiMAX.

The new air interface adopted by the ITU last year was for the time-division duplexing (TDD) version of WiMAX (See <i>PolicyTracker</i> <A href="javascript:showStory(450,1)" class='newslink'> 18.10.07</a>), and the WiMAX lobby is worried they will have to jump through the same hoops all over again.

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/wimax-camp-fears-another-standards-battle

Countrywide spectrum survey highlights possible unlawful usage

Initial results from the UK's first comprehensive mobile spectrum monitoring project show several examples of unexpected and possibly unlawful usage.

For the past month fifteen cars have been driving around the UK with spectrum monitoring equipment in their roof boxes. It's part of a project funded by the regulator Ofcom which will "investigate the usefulness and cost effectiveness of car-based automatic measurement systems" and build up a picture of spectrum usage in the 100 MHz to 5GHz range.

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/countrywide-spectrum-survey-highlights-possible-unlawful-usage

Historic decision approves white space use in the US

Despite a propaganda campaign mounted by America's broadcasters, regulator the Federal Communications Commission yesterday officially approved the use of white spaces for wireless broadband following four years of debate.

As the country voted in a new President, the FCC commissioners engaged in their own vote and ignored the protest campaign orchestrated by the National Association of Broadcasters which had aimed at postponing it.

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/historic-decision-approves-white-space-use-in-the-us

Which country has the most spectrum trades?

With spectrum trading in Europe approaching its fourth anniversary, PolicyTracker asks how many trades have taken place and searches for an international benchmark. Simple questions, but there appear to be no simple answers.

The job of obtaining an overview of recently adopted practices used by countries moving towards more liberalized spectrum markets is complicated by different approaches and an absence of compiled statistics. Another complicating factor is the practice of using shell or holding companies to transfer spectrum, a common practice in the U.S..

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/which-country-has-the-most-spectrum-trades

November 2008 printed issue available for download

Our top story this month is the European Commission's revised legislative proposals for the telecoms framework review. These cut back the Parliament's plans to give MEPs more control over spectrum policy.

Also in this issue we interview the Commission's new head of spectrum policy and analyse the vigorous debate over the introduction of administered incentive pricing for the UK's aviation and maritime sectors

Read the full details at: https://www.policytracker.com/headlines/november-2008-printed-issue-available-for-download