The European Commission announced yesterday that it had adopted new rules that will allow 4G services to be provided through the 900MHz and 1800MHz spectrum bands.
The new rules mean that 4G technologies like LTE and WiMAX will be able to coexist on…
The European Commission announced yesterday that it had adopted new rules that will allow 4G services to be provided through the 900MHz and 1800MHz spectrum bands.
The new rules mean that 4G technologies like LTE and WiMAX will be able to coexist on these spectrum bands alongside older technologies, like GSM and 3G.
Member states of the EU have until the end of this year to implement this decision.
In a statement yesterday, the EC also said that this decision was an important part of fulfilling its “Digital Agenda for Europe” programme, which aims “to give every European access to basic broadband by 2013 and fast and ultra fast broadband by 2020”.
Separately, the EC also underlined its commitment to an open internet and the principle of net neutrality in a statement today.
The vice president of the European Commission for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, said: “I am determined to ensure that citizens and businesses in the EU can enjoy the benefits of an open and neutral internet, without hidden restrictions and at the speeds promised by their service providers.”
The EC also revealed that it had asked the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) to undertake “a rigorous fact-finding exercise” on issues that would be crucial for an open and neutral internet, including barriers to changing operators, the transparency and quality of service, and the blocking or “throttling” of internet traffic.
