I don't usually think much of the EU. Corrupt, undemocratic, unaccountable, non-transparent, extravagant. That's about it. But when they standardised on the micro-USB for portable device chargers, making universal chargers possible, I began to see some good in the EU and now, with the EU plan to get European countries to each reserve the same chunk of disused broadcast spectrum for a pan-European mobile broadband network, I'm beginning to positively warm to it.
The beauty of such a network would be flat-rate charges for wireless data - probably kicking off an explosion in mobile data markets.
The EU says the idea could generate economic activity worth €20-50 billion from network building activities and the stimulation of new businesses in rural areas.
At the moment you daren't take a smartphone out of your native country for fear that vast data charges, often not requested, are dumped on you.
"I think in the end most, if not all, EU countries will follow this," says Daniel Pataki, chairman of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group, a technical advisory panel to the commission.
To its shame, it will probably be the
The bandwidth becomes available as a result of the analogue-digital conversion which is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.
The EU recommends redeployment for the mobile broadband network of spectrum in the 790-862 megahertz range.
Lower-frequency spectrum is considered desirable because of its wall-penetrating properties.
If the EU gets this one off the ground, I'll continue to warm to it. Though if, in the meantime, it appoints Tony Blair as president, my opinion of it will be back to square one.
A couple of weeks ago I met a most beautiful and charming lady in
"That's impossible," I pointed out to her, "because the Anti-Christ is Tony Blair."
I agree this should be great - and I suspect Vodaphone won't object although there are some at Ofcom who might. However each basestation will only have about 150Mbps to share out between all users. Thus we are back to picostations running minute transmit powers and suddenly those walls aren't so penetratable again. Even the current GSM rural power levels can't penetrate parts of my house.
Thus getting the system details right will make or break such a system.
Thanks Mike that's an extremely interesting take on the subject
The beauty of such a network would be flat-rate charges iam happy for broadband services. some company releasing a new scheme as vodafone broadband
and other network.