International Telecom

摘要

The European Commission will grant 50 million euros ($65 million) for "5G" research, DigitalnAgenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes said Tuesday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. "Inwant 5G to be pioneered by European industry, based on European research and creating jobs in Europen— and we will put our money where our mouth is," she said. It's part of the plan to remove roadblocksnmobile operators face in Europe's fragmented market, she said. One challenge is spectrum, a resource increasinglynin short supply and ever more expensive. Some EU governments see auctions as mere revenueraisers,nignoring the wider public interest for consumer prices and network investment, she said. Andnmany countries have different assignment systems, forcing operators to deal with a kaleidoscope of varyingnrules and practices. Other challenges to mobile rollout include widely different planning and permitnrules, uncertainty about infrastructure-sharing, and uncoordinated research, she said. The recent political agreement on the next EU budget cut more than eight billion euros from the "Connecting Europe Facility,"nin practice not leaving enough money to invest in broadband, she said. But Kroes said she's determined tondeliver broadband for all, and for that the market must be improved. Among other things, there will be anwireless action plan to find more spectrum and make it easier for providers to invest in new networks, shensaid. She will take a holistic look at new wireless services to boost transport, health and cities, she said.nThe EC will also go after countries that haven't awarded spectrum already harmonised across Europe ornare violating other EU laws, she said.