EC: DSO must aid economic recovery

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EC: DSO must aid economic recovery

European Commission wants airwaves freed-up by move to digital TV to work for swift economic recovery

The Commission has set out plans for a coordinated distribution of spectrum that encourages investment and competition in these potential new services. If the allocation of the newly freed airwaves – the "digital dividend" – to new services is coordinated across Europe it could give the economy a boost of E20 to E50 billion. The plan for the realisation of the digital dividend's full potential involves the European Parliament and EU countries, reflecting the major part they have to play.

"The digital dividend is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make 'broadband for all' a reality all over Europe and boost some of the most innovative sectors of our economy. Europe will only make the most of the digital dividend if we work together on a common plan. The Commission cooperated closely with EU countries, the European Parliament, industry and consumers' representatives to prepare such a plan," said Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media. "I call on EU countries to speed up the move to digital TV and to make it happen by 1 January 2012. I also urge national authorities to use the digital dividend in a pro-competitive way to open up the market for new operators and new services, maximising the impact on the economy. Only this will ensure the digital dividend is used to bring wireless broadband to parts of the EU where high-speed internet cannot be provided efficiently by other technologies."

The digital dividend proposals adopted by the Commission today ask EU Member States to speed up the switch-off of analogue TV and to complete it by 1 January 2012. Five countries (Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden) and the US have already shown that analogue switch-off can be done quickly.

To maximise the impact of these moves, the Commission said it would harmonise the technical conditions for using the 790-862 MHz sub-band so that the Single Market is not fragmented when EU countries open the sub-band for new services in their country. Service providers and makers of devices and applications can then do business across borders, while consumers will find it easier to use 'roaming' services when they travel.

However, some have concerns about interference in the home if these frequencies are released for mobile use (see below).

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Cable Europe: Beware of DSO interference

Cable Europe has issued a call to EU Member States to carefully examine the Digital Dividend recommendations released by the European Commissioner which lay out new uses for European spectrum that will be freed up in 2012 when analogue television is switched off and re-used for new services.

The association called for Member State decision makers and technology authorities to carefully assess the risks for the EU consumer posed by interference. "We have to be clear about the risks that are encountered by using new spectrum in the space of in-home consumer equipment found in millions of European homes that have experienced interference in laboratory testing carried out in EU countries including Austria, Germany and the United Kingdom," says Cable Europe Managing Director, Caroline Van Weede. "We’ve been in contact with the Commission on this and understand the need for moving closer to a single digital market and want to do our part to best help avoid any unnecessary fragmentation of EU rules especially for spectrum policy. Of course, spectrum is a Member State issue and the Commission’s role in seeking to guide Member States is an important one. As this EU issue goes national, we are calling for careful national attention to this newly identified interference so that January 1st 2012 will be a cause for celebration rather than frustration."

In examining the Digital Dividend, Cable Europe has identified potential negative impact on consumer equipment and in-home networks that is caused directly by the release of spectrum between 790-862MHz for new mobile services.