Radio Spectrum: EU takes global lead on mobile internet.

"Today's decision on the first multi-annual spectrum programme is good news for the European economy and I am pleased with the Parliament's support and that our ambitious approach has been endorsed by the Member States", said EPP Group Vice-Chairman Gunnar Hökmark MEP who has been responsible for steering the legislation through Parliament.

"The decision sets world leading targets in order to meet the exponential growth in the demand for mobile data. We will allocate at least 1.200 MHz for wireless services by 2015, enabling the EU to take the global lead on broadband speeds, coverage, capacity and the future development regarding Internet and broadband", said Gunnar Hökmark.

"We are taking an important step in creating a pan-European telecommunications market by obliging all EU Member States to open the 800 MHz band for wireless broadband by 2013", he continued.

"The European Parliament has also succeeded in imposing an inventory with a very large scope of the existing use of spectrum from 400 MHz to 6 GHz. This inventory creates a flexible and coordinated European spectrum policy where the inefficient use of spectrum is addressed and where the exponential growth of wireless data traffic can be met by future re-allocations", said Mr Hökmark.

"It is now up to the Commission and Member States to deliver on this decision, particularly in relation to the 800 MHz band and the inventory. All data on the existing use of the spectrum must be commonly shared if we are to decide on how to best manage future re-allocations of spectrum in order to meet the growth in mobile data traffic", concluded Gunnar Hökmark.