Europe Eyes Opening 3G Spectrum To Other Technologies

A swath of spectrum in the 2.5 GHz range was reserved in Europe for future 3G technologies, but the EC is considering throwing it open to competing technologies like OFDM or WiMAX. Unsurprisingly, the move is being opposed by countries with strong 3G network gear vendors, like Finland and France (even though Finland recently awarded a nationwide 450 MHz license to a Flash-OFDM network), which want to see it held for IMT-2000 technologies like UMTS. Regulators in the UK have expressed a desire to make spectrum an open market and not mandate the specific uses and technologies a license allows for the most part, a move which will encourage competition and benefit consumers. The 3G technologies should be allowed to succeed or fail on merit, not through regulation.

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