The European Commission has proposed that EU countries should complete the licence issue process for mobile broadband spectrum by 2012, as part of a five-year plan intended to manage and harmonise the use of EU radio allocations. Describing the availability of suitable frequencies as a “top priority”, the deadline would cover the issue of 900MHZ, 1800MHz, 2.5GHz and 3.4GHz—3.8GHz permits. A January 2013 deadline has also been suggested for 800MHz allocations, which could lead to the widespread use of “digital dividend” spectrum, freed by the switch from analogue television to digital, for mobile broadband, although the pace at which this spectrum is becoming available varies widely from country-to-country. The suggested programme says that spectrum should be managed “on the basis of principles including spectrum efficiency and flexibility, technology and service neutrality and competition,” and in addition, the collective use of spectrum and spectrum trading would be promoted.

The Commission says that wireless broadband services are “essential” for the delivery of broadband for all by 2013, which is one of the key goals of its Digital Agenda for Europe. The latest wireless proposals form part of a portfolio of measures outlined by the commission for the delivery of “ultra-fast broadband” in Europe, including recommendations related to access to “next generation access” fibre networks, in order to ensure “an appropriate balance between the need to encourage investment and to safeguard competition”. The Commission is targeting 30Mb/s broadband coverage for all EU citizens, with half of households subscribing to 100Mb/s services, by 2020. It says that while the EU currently has the highest level of broadband take-up worldwide, only 1 percent of Europeans have a high-speed fibre connection directly to their home, compared to 12 percent of the Japanese and 15 percent of South Koreans.