Est. 2min 06-05-2008 (updated: 28-05-2012 ) Border_control__Kecko.jpg Euractiv is part of the Trust Project >>> Languages: Français | DeutschPrint Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Police, fire-fighters and hospitals have joined an EU-wide battle to secure chunks of radio frequencies – made available by the move towards the digital era – for their own services, in a move that contradicts the Commission’s more market-driven and flexible approach. The recent terrorist attacks in London and Madrid revealed the limits of European national communication systems as regards facing massive emergencies. Mobile networks collapsed due to the concentration of phone calls. Not only were ordinary citizens prevented from calling their loved ones, but the emergency services also suffered major communication problems. The shortfalls registered in Spain and Britain were a consequence of the scarce radio spectrum available for police and ambulances, according to the authors of a study entitled ‘Safety First’ and commissioned by Motorola and EADS, the top providers of communication technologies for emergency services in the EU. At the moment, EU public safety authorities have just two blocks of 5 MHz (MegaHeartz) at their disposal to provide their services. But the study argues that in some cities the system is “already operating at full capacity” and calls for the current allocation to be tripled to two blocks of 15 MHz. This would allow for remote checking, sharing of images and videos, increased surveillance systems and quicker data transmissions. The portion of the radio spectrum considered useful for emergency services is between 400 MHZ and 800 MHz, part of the so-called UHF – the most coveted share of frequencies. Televisions and mobile operators are already fighting hard to get the highest possible amount of this scarce resource. But public safety service providers and suppliers’ plans are not only at odds with alternative spectrum users, but also with the Commission strategy, which aims to increase the efficient use of the spectrum. Brussels believes this goal can only be achieved by getting rid of the current system of fixed allocations of frequencies, which tend not to be fully used. The Commission favours a flexible approach based on a spectrum trading system and auctions to distribute the scarce resource. It further says that new technological developments will increase the efficiency of frequency use. Read more with Euractiv MEPs shift focus of telecoms reviewThe European Parliament is determined to see the reform of EU telecoms rules concluded before its term comes to an end in the second half of 2009, despite the new proposals put forward and clear disagreements with the Commission on the set-up of a new European authority and radio spectrum reform. PositionsThe study, carried out by Germany's WIK-Consult, underlines that a "dedicated network in a dedicated spectrum band is the best way to ensure secure, robust and immediate radio communications. This is what is widely used today". But the Commission replies: "We have to move away from the current segmentation and endorse a flexible use of things," in the words of Mark Bogers, from its Enterprise and Industry department. "We are against dedicated infrastructure, but we support dedicated networks in shared infrastructure," he added, speaking to EURACTIV on the fringes of a conference on security technologies organised yesterday (5 May) in Brussels by the think tank Security and Defence Agenda (SDA). Jens Kristiansen, the vice president and general manager of Tetra, Motorola's arm for public safety services, stressed the "paramount necessity to get more spectrum" for emergency service providers. Eric Davalo, of the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), which manages Tetrapol, the European alternative to the Tetra system developed by Motorola, echoed the comments of Kristiansen and underlined the need for a "harmonised approach across Europe, otherwise it will be impossible to have the positive effects of interoperability". Currently EU member states do not necessarily attribute the same radio frequencies for similar services, therefore making cross-border exchanges difficult, he said. A Danish diplomat replied: "We would like the industry to further commit to using common equipment and to making their products more interoperable." BackgroundOn 13 November, the European Commission presented proposals for a renewed allocation of the radio spectrum to take advantage of the shift towards digitalised television, foreseen in the EU by 2012. Indeed, the increased efficiency of digital technologies will allow large portions of spectrum to be freed up - the so-called 'digital dividend' (see our Links Dossier on the Telecoms Package review). As regards the reattribution of the spectrum, the Commission is proposing a common European approach based first and foremost on economic grounds (and including a sytem for trading radio spectrum), but without forgetting "the other important social uses" enabled by new technologies. For its part, the European Parliament has expressed more concern for the protection of public services (see EURACTIV 28/03/08). Timeline 6 June 2008: The EU Parliament's Industry Committe votes on its report on the Telecoms package review. 12 June 2008: The EU Telecommunications Council expresses its opinion on the Commission's proposals on reform of the telecoms sector. July 2008: The European Parliament to vote on the Telecoms package review. Further ReadingEuropean Union European Commission:Communication on spectrum reform(13 november 2007) European Parliament - Industry Committee:Press release on digital dividend hearing(27 March 2008) Business & Industry Wik Consult - on behalf of Motorola and EADSSafety First report(30 April 2008) Press articles EURACTIV.tr:Radyo spektrumu sava?ina acil hizmetler de katildi(6 April 2008)
