The European Commission (EC) today presented a proposal to coordinate the use of the 700 MHz band for mobile services, aiming at improving internet access for Europeans and help develop cross-border applications. EC says that spectrum needs to be better coordinated at EU level to avoid interferences and to allow innovative services, such as connected cars or remote health care, to work across the continent. The EU also has to cope with the growing demand for wireless broadband. By 2020 there will be nearly eight times as much mobile internet traffic as today.

As part of its strategy to create a Digital Single Market, the comission proposes a balanced long-term approach for the use of the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band (470-790 MHz). Currently, this band is mainly used for TV broadcasting. According to the proposal, more spectrum will be made available for mobile services in the 700 MHz band (694-790 MHz) by 2020. This band is ideal for providing high-quality internet to users, wherever they are, be it a large city, a small distant village or on a highway. Frequencies in the sub-700 MHz area (470-694 MHz) will remain available, as a priority, for audiovisual services.

Andrus Ansip, Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, said: "28 different approaches to manage radio frequencies in the EU do not make economic sense in the Digital Single Market. Today we come with our first proposal on how to better coordinate spectrum in the EU. We propose a joint approach to use the 700 MHz band for mobile services. This band is the sweet spot for both wide coverage and high speeds. It will give top-quality internet access to all Europeans, even in rural areas, and pave the way for 5G, the next generation of communication network. At the same time, we secure frequencies for the audiovisual sector and boost the development of technologies which make an efficient use of radio waves. Spectrum is a scarce resource: we need to make the best of it."

The Commission proposes that the 700 MHz band should be assigned to wireless broadband by 30 June 2020 at the latest in all EU countries. This will be in line with the deployment of 5G, foreseen as from 2020. To meet this deadline, European Member States will need to adopt and make public their national plans for network coverage and for releasing this band by 30 June 2017. They will need also to conclude cross-border coordination agreements by the end of 2017.

France and Germany have already authorised the use of the 700 MHz band for mobile services. Denmark, Finland, Sweden, UK have also outlined plans to repurpose the 700 MHz band in the next few years.