EU telecom officials are expected to urge governments to speed di...

ministers said access to the 800 MHz band will greatly increase broadband services throughout the EU, enhance the single market and spur productivity and competition to drive economic recovery. They also agreed a harmonized approach to use of the digital dividend could bring additional economic benefits and that there are advantages to a common approach to spectrum coordination with non-EU countries. Officials asked governments to facilitate, as far as possible, technical harmonization of the band, while remaining free to decide whether to assign it to e- communications or broadcast services, and to try to complete switchover in 2012. They also want states to beef up cross- border coordination to enable the 800 MHz band to be used for non-broadcasting services under national decisions, and to tackle interference issues. The Council invited the EC to come up with a proposal for harmonizing technical conditions of use for new services while recognizing that some countries will keep all or part of the band for high-power broadcasting or existing applications. The draft also urged the EC to consider options for using newer, more spectrum-efficient broadcasting transmission and receiver equipments standards.