Mobile Broadband Spectrum Shortage Requires Immediate Action

Paris (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Mobile broadband spectrum allocation insufficient for
growing traffic demand
- Immediate government action necessaryin countries and
multilateral institutions

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) today called for
governments and regulators to accelerate efforts to allocate and
assign adequate spectrum to support the ever-increasing demand for
mobile broadband.

In a discussion paper developed by the ICC Task Force on Internet
and Telecoms Infrastructure and Services (IT IS), ICC expressed
concern about the strain on spectrum supply to meet the demand
created by the growing number of subscribers and machine-to-machine
technologies, and by the increasing consumption of voice minutes and
data capacity.-ICC emphasized that it does not attach a greater
importance to the use of spectrum for one particular mobile
technology over another, and said that mobile broadband spectrum
policy must co-exist with other critical societal priorities such as
broadcast services.

Eric Loeb, Chair of IT IS,-said: "Given the enormous contribution
of mobile broadband to innovation, competition, and job
and-economic-growth in developed and developing countries, it is
crucial that the unprecedented potential of mobile broadband is not
stifled by a lack of adequate spectrum." The ICC paper cites a recent
Ovum study that has demonstrated that annual productivity gains in
the US resulting from wirelessly enabling business applications will
grow to US$130 billion by 2016. It also notes remarks by Neelie
Kroes, European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda, who
said that "Services which rely on spectrum represent 2% to 2.5% of
annual EU gross domestic product (GDP), i.e. more than EUR250 billion
according to a study undertaken by the Commission."

The speed at which governments implement additional spectrum
plans is critical. "The skyrocketing uptake of 3G services and mobile
devices is already putting tremendous pressure on the current
spectrum allocations," said Mr Loeb. "As 4G adoption kicks in widely,
that pressure will substantially increase. This entirely predictable
spectrum shortage needs to be tackled as a priority today."

The ICC paper calls on governments and regulators to recognize
the following key factors:

- Globally harmonizing spectrum reduces equipment costs and
facilitates roaming, saving consumers money and promoting the deployment
of new technologies and services.
- Licensing regimes that include mobile network operators that
manage scarce spectrum, as well as mobile resale licenses, will
encourage competition, a technology-neutral approach and the efficient
use of the spectrum.

To download the discussion paper, please visit: http://www.iccwbo
.org/uploadedFiles/ICC/policy/e-business/Statements/ICC%20_Discussion
_Paper_Mobile_broadband_spectrum_20Oct11final.pdf

For more information on ICC EBITT IT IS please visit:
http://www.iccwbo.org/policy/ebitt/id9260/index.html

For more information on the International Chamber of Commerce
(ICC) please visit: http://www.iccwbo.org

ots Originaltext: ICC Commission on Electronic Business, IT, and Telecommunicatons
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For further information: Ayesha Hassan, Senior Policy Manager,
ICC Commission on Electronic Business, IT, and Telecommunications,
Tel:
+33(0)1-49 53 30 13, ayesha.hassan@iccwbo.org; For media inquiries:
Dawn
Chardonnal, Communications and Media Relations Manager, Tel:
+33(0)1-49-53-29-07, dawn.chardonnal@iccwbo.org