Ford backs moves to unlock Europe's digital airwaves
Posted, February 15, 2012 @ 13:00
Conservative MEPs have lent their weight to moves to open up Europe's airwaves to greater mobile communication and more digital-data traffic.
The European Parliament today (Weds) approved measures to re-dedicate chunks of the radio wave spectrum for mobile and wireless internet use.
In supporting the measures, Conservatives hope to drive faster expansion of broadband into remote rural areas and to foster competition and innovation among mobile phone networks.
Vicky Ford MEP, the party's industry and research spokesman in the parliament, said the digital dividend created by the broadcasting switchover from analogue television and radio was also a huge opportunity that must be exploited.
She told a debate on the measures: "Mobile and wireless data communications are growing at a phenomenal rate. In western Europe traffic is expected to almost double every year for the next three years, led by smart phones, new devices and apps.
"Co-ordinating spectrum release throughout the EU will boost access, help make wireless services available seamlessly across country borders and drive competition and innovation to deliver lower prices and higher quality to consumers.
"Spectrum is a finite resource where too much of it is often hoarded by the public sector. While member states must be able to safeguard services at a local level, releasing new spectrum is vital. For rural areas at 800mHz you can access the parts other bands cannot reach, while 2.6 GHz gives deeper coverage in our cities.
"If Europe is to maintain its competitive position our countries urgently need to deliver our shared digital vision. Releasing and allocating spectrum is one step, but consumers need to be able to use the bandwidth. The big challenge is unlocking barriers to investment so that infrastructure roll-out can keep pace with consumer demand."