From 2009...
EU Telecoms Reform: 12 reforms to pave way for stronger consumer rights, an open internet, a single European telecoms market and high-speed internet connections for all citizens
"11.
Accelerating broadband access for all Europeans: Currently, in rural areas
of the EU only an average of 70% of the population can have access to a
broadband network connection (IP/09/343). The reform will help in overcoming this
"digital divide" by better managing radio spectrum and by making it effectively
available for wireless broadband services in regions where building a new fibre
infrastructure is too costly; and by allowing Member States to expand universal
service provisions beyond narrow-band internet access.
The reform in particular puts a much stronger emphasis on technology and service
flexibility in spectrum use, making it easier for operators to introduce innovative
technologies and services. This increased flexibility will bring important economic
gains and has the potential to generate an estimated additional 0.1% of GDP per
annum. In particular, it will allow the "digital dividend", the radio spectrum freed as
a result of the switchover from analogue to digital TV, to work for the economic
recovery as also stressed in the Commission's recent Communication on
transforming the digital dividend into social benefits and economic growth
(IP/09/1595).
4
A further important reform proposed by the Commission in parallel to the
negotiations on the telecoms reform package was already adopted by Parliament
and Council on 16 October 2009 (IP/09/1545): the modernisation of the GSM
Directive, which will allow operators to introduce new services, starting with 3G and
extending later to other new technologies, to operate in the GSM band which was
previously reserved exclusively for GSM services. This should lead to industry
savings estimated at € 1.6 billion in capital costs for a single Europe-wide network,
and enable faster roll-out of full 3G coverage. The reformed GSM Directive will
boost the take up of 3G in the EU, from the existing 3G customer base which was
estimated at over 90 million in December 2008. 3G penetration rates are currently
the highest in Italy, Austria, Sweden and the UK where they exceed 20% of the
total subscribers."
In pdf format from...
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-09-513_en.htm?locale=en#PR_metaPressRelease_bottom