POLICIES :: eCommunications :: Radio spectrum
Radio spectrum
Radio waves, the key to mobile communications
We all are increasingly using wireless communications
devices, whether for convenience, to keep up whilst on the move but also more and more for essential
applications. However, radio spectrum, which all such devices must use to
communicate wirelessly, is already very crowded in many areas. Due to the
limited number of suitable frequencies and the large number of users in given
locations, wireless applications need to rely on the sharing of radio spectrum
between users. This in turn requires more sophisticated technologies and
appropriate spectrum management to avoid harmful interference between devices.
Under the framework, the EU aims to harmonise spectrum access
conditions in the single market whenever this is necessary to ensure efficient
use of radio spectrum or to enable interoperability of underlying equipment. For
example the switchover from analogue to digital television broadcasting is
freeing up valuable spectrum, making extra resources available for enabling new
services, such as mobile internet access. In order to ensure that such services
are developed effectively and that consumers benefit from the internal market in
radio equipment, coordination at EU level is often a critical factor.
Learn more about
radio spectrum policy.