5G from 2020: The European Commission has presented a proposal that suggests changing the frequency used to transmit television signals.
The change, according to the EP, is deemed necessary by all European countries to make additional bandwidth available to users' insatiable appetite for data.
Currently, the 700 MHz UHF band is mainly used for television broadcasting, but according to the EP, it should be reallocated for high-speed mobile services and supporting the Internet of Things (IoT).
Ultimately, this is required for the rollout of 5G. As Commissioner for the Digital Economy, Günther Oettinger, said:
“We cannot have high-quality mobile internet for everything, for everyone and everywhere, if we do not have modern infrastructure and modern regulations. With this proposal we will show that we can have both: a vibrant audiovisual sector, as well as the spectrum that will be needed for 5G. The 700 MHz band is ideal for promising new sectors such as autonomous driving and the Internet of Things. I want Europe to have 5G. That is why all Member States must act from 2020.”
TV fans have nothing to fear, as the UHF bands below 700 MHz will still be reserved for audiovisual transmission.
Oettinger says that all European member states should make the switch in time for 2020, for the rollout of 5G.
Of course, coordinating the policy of 28 countries is not an easy task.
Some countries, however, appear to be ready to respond quickly. France and Germany, for example, have already approved the use of 700MHz for mobile services, while Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom have plans to start the process in the coming years.
