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European Union Unveils Spectrum Strategy
by Winter Casey
The European Commission on Tuesday announced a strategy to encourage more flexible use of radio spectrum.
The commission, the policymaking arm of the European Union, said it plans to foster more flexible radiofrequency use to enable greater innovation in the marketplace. The strategy provides steps for reducing access and usage restrictions on spectrum used for wireless communications and removing potential barriers to innovation.
"Europe must fully exploit the potential use of certain spectrum bands by new wireless products and services so as to encourage market development," Viviane Reding, the EU commissioner for society and media, said in a statement. "We seek to provide new opportunities for industry through less restrictive regulatory conditions that strengthen competition and increase consumer choice. However, this is a gradual process, which will not happen overnight."
According to the commission, existing spectrum regulations have held industry back. The commission said the European Union needs to identify spectrum bands to examine for possible regulatory changes, particularly given the growing convergence in technologies such as mobile telephones, television and Internet services.
Some of the steps the union plans to take can be done under current telecom rules. Those steps include opening the frequency bands formerly reserved for mobile communications based on the GSM standard to use for so-called third-generation cellular technology, and giving new products and services access to more frequencies.
Under the strategy, industry would have greater responsibility for avoiding radio interference and responding to consumer demands, according to the European Union.
On Wednesday, the commission also announced that it would move toward a single market for advanced wireless devices such as laptop computers and mobile phones. The commission said it has agreed on the technical conditions under which ultra-wideband devices can operate in specific spectrum ranges and thus has created a legal framework for the technology.
Ultra-wideband is a wireless technology that provides short-range, high-speed communication between electronic devices. Because UWB spectrum already is used for other radio applications -- such as satellites and radio astronomy stations -- it will only be allowed to operate at extremely low power to avoid interference with other equipment. Benefits of the technology are said to be higher data rates and lower costs and power use.
"It is important that we establish a functioning single market for these devices in the European Union," Reding said in a press release. "By adopting a harmonizing decision today, the commission allows innovators to use this new technology throughout the European Union while ensuring no interference takes place with other wireless users."
The commission also said that "one of the difficulties with regulating this technology is that there is as yet no significant experience with using the radio spectrum the way UWB proposes to."
EU countries will have six months to begin implementing the technical conditions announced by the commission.
Microsoft Blasts IBM Over Open Standards
The software company Microsoft last week posted an open letter on its Web site outlining its support for efforts to standardize the company's Office 2007 Open XML document format and to speak out against rival IBM.
Microsoft wants Open XML to be made into a standard through the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission. Thus far only the OpenDocument format, which is promoted by the ODF Alliance and IBM, has been recognized by the ISO as an international open-document standard. Both IBM and the alliance oppose Open XML being made into such a standard.
"This campaign to stop even the consideration of Open XML ... is a blatant attempt to use the standards process to limit choice in the marketplace for ulterior commercial motives -- and without regard for the negative impact on consumer choice and technological innovation," Microsoft said in the posting.
In the fall, Ecma International, which helps facilitate information technology and consumer electronics standards, endorsed Microsoft Office Open XML.
The standardization of open-document formats, which gives greater flexibility to users, is a big issue in part because governments and agencies prefer to use standardized document formats.
Microsoft said in its letter that Open XML allows for broad interaction among systems and "can help spark an explosion of innovation and investment."
"When ODF was under consideration, Microsoft made no effort to slow down the process because we recognized customers' interest in the standardization of document formats. In sharp contrast, during the initial one-month period for consideration of Open XML ... IBM led a global campaign" against Open XML because the competing standard already had been adopted.
IBM did not respond to a press inquiry by press time.
Bush Backs Panama Trade Pact
President Bush reiterated his support for a free-trade agreement with Panama last week.
"I appreciate so very much your desire to work out any differences we have on a free-trade agreement," Bush said following a meeting Friday with Panamanian President Mortin Torrjos. "I am committed to a Panamanian free-trade agreement because I believe it's in the interest of the United States that we have a free-trade agreement with your vital country."
Bush urged Congress to support a deal.
Torrjos said he was pleased to hear Bush's commitment to the free-trade agenda and trying to finish an agreement with Panama and the rest of the Latin American countries.
Last month, U.S. Deputy Trade Representative John Veroneau said the Bush administration plans to continue negotiating changes in the labor chapters of free-trade deals with Columbia, Panama and Peru to try to satisfy concerns from Democratic lawmakers.
China Expects Its Electronic Exports To Jump
China's export of electronic information products is expected to grow by 14 percent from 2006 to 2007, China's Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday.
China's Ministry of Information Industry predicted that exports of electronic information products will reach $390 billion this year. Vice Minister Lou Qinjian said the Chinese government has encouraged large companies in that sector, which make such items as computers, surveying instruments and communications products, to pursue overseas mergers and acquisitions or invest abroad.
The official also said China will encourage foreign multinational companies to build research and development centers in China.
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