France’s comms regulator ARCEP is holding a two-month consultation on a strategic review of spectrum for ultra high-speed mobile systems.

As mobile Internet traffic is increasing sharply, the consultation examines the two paths that will help sustain and accelerate the ongoing upgrade of mobile networks:

• reusing existing frequencies with more efficient technologies;

• making new frequencies available, notably those in the 700 MHz band.

This public consultation follows up on the Prime Minister’s announce of 10 December 2014 which set out the main stages for releasing the 700 MHz band, which is currently used by digital terrestrial television, to mobile systems. It is therefore gathering feedback from the sector’s stakeholders on the issues involved in and the system to be used to allocate 700 MHz band frequencies.

Stakeholders’ responses to this consultation, along with the opinion of the special committee for the modernisation of television broadcasting (commission de la modernisation de la diffusion audiovisuelle), to which the Government referred the question of the 700 MHz band, will enable ARCEP to establish the framework for allocating the 700 MHz band, which will be submitted to the Government at the earliest possible date.

Stakeholders are invited to submit their contributions before 16 February 2015.

Categories: Articles, Policy, Regulation, Spectrum