European Parliament backs EU fast broadband plan

Brussels' plans for a new radio spectrum policy programme to ensure universal fast broadband internet coverage across Europe by 2020 has received backing from the European Parliament's Industry Committee.

The MEPs' overwhelming vote (46 for, with one abstention) supports the European Commission's Digital Agenda for Europe, with an amendment aiming to ensure a service at a minimum of 30Mbit/s across the Continent. 

Services will use radio frequency bands freed as member states switch from analogue to digital television broadcasting.

Under the Commission's proposals, EU countries would have to make the 800MHz waveband available for harmonised use of wireless broadband services by 1 January 2013.

The Industry Committee passed an amendment that would allow Member States to ask for a postponement until the end of 2015, with longer in exceptional circumstances, if there are problems in cross-border frequency coordination with neighbouring third countries.

The committee said that the freed-up spectrum allocated for mobile data traffic should reach 1200MHz by 2015. It urged the Commission to monitor technological developments and the efficiency of spectrum use to assess additional frequencies that could be harmonised to make room for new users and services.

The committee urged the development of a level playing field across Europe to enable the development of pan-European services.

The full European Parliament is expected to endorse the result in Strasbourg in June.