The GSMA has repeated its call for governments to release digital dividend spectrum in the 700MHz band in a harmonised way, and without entering costly auctions or pricing the spectrum too highly.
A panel assembled by the GSMA at the Mobile World Congress was keen to present the mobile industry as a solution to governments' current economic situation, rather than a burden.
"Governments are turning to the telecoms sector for a good part of their economic stimulus, and the mobile industry is one of the few sectors not asking for a bailout," GSMA CEO Rob Conway, said.
But Conway said that the industry risked running out of spectrum, due to recent surges in mobile data usage. Although operators in Europe have assets at 2.1GHz, 1800MHz and 900MHz, they argue that setting aside 100MHz of the 400MHz of spectrum released by the turn off of analogue TV would allow them to provide true mobile broadband in rural areas, and in-building in urban areas, at far lower cost.
They say that LTE at 700MHz is 70% cheaper to roll out than at 2.1GHz, and point to analysis that claims that a 10% penetration rise boosts a country's GDP by 0.6%. The logic is that by providing a boost to mobile broadband, governments will boost their own economies, without having to gouge money from operators in auction fees or taxes.
But although France and the UK, and other countries, are looking relatively kindly on such requests, a GSMA spokesperson said that Italy and Spain at the moment are considering passing on all the analogue TV spectrum over to digital TV.
Conway said, "Mobile must therefore get its needed share of the digital dividend. We're only asking for 25% of the 400MHz that will become available, and I would argue that broadcasters have plenty of spectrum. Indeed using that spectrum for wireless is a far more efficient and bigger boost for the economy than those few extra TV channels."
Franco Bernabe ceo Telecom Italia, said, "We're not asking for subsidies, because for the foreseeable future we will never be in that situation. But we need lighter regulation – and not only lighter but quicker. In order to make the heavy investments necessary we require a firm and stable regulatory environment. Too much regulation equals uncertainty and delays to innovation," he argued.
Jon Fredrik Baksaas, ceo Telenor Group echoed that call.
"Spectrum is vital and harmonization would help bring forward speed of developments in the ecosystem. We're asking for harmonised development so that investments can happen."