By the end of 2007, spectrum in the 2.5MHz-2.69MHz band is expected to be allocated across Europe. But rival cellular and WiMax camps are battling for control of the spectrum, reports EE Times and VNUnet:
The market for wireless broadband services in the European Union will be thrown open to question in October when member states vote over expanded spectrum allocations for 3G systems, experts warned today.
A report published by Informa Telecoms & Media explained that European states have split into two camps.
One is led by the UK and, crucially, with strong backing from the EU, is pushing to adopt a free-market approach to the 3G expansion bands (2.5MHz-2.69MHz) which will allow them to be used by WiMax and other technologies.
The other camp, led by France and Finland, wants the EU to restrict use of the spectrum to established IMT-2000 3G telephony technologies.
In principle, the debate will decide whether Europe eventually embraces a free-market approach to spectrum management, according to Informa.
The European Commission hopes that October’s vote, to be held at a meeting of the EC-led Radio Spectrum Committee, will lead to the 2.5MHz-2.69MHz spectrum bands, currently set aside for WCDMA, being used by rival wireless broadband technologies such as WiMax and OFDM-based systems.
If agreement cannot be reached within the Radio Spectrum Committee by December, the issue will move to the European Parliament.
A decision is expected to become law in individual member states by the end of 2007, while spectrum in the 2.5MHz-2.69MHz band is expected to be allocated across Europe by the beginning of 2008.
The FCC’s bandplan for 2.5-2.7 GHz in the United States, puts the only real spectrum available for Mobile WiMax in the hands of Sprint and Clearwire, while the lower Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) section is devoted to “non-profit” enterprises selling education and “intelligent design”. All others pay cash to cellular operators.
Apparently, making ITFS frequencies available to community consortia would put the country at risk.
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