Regulators set the platform for large-scale LTE rollout across Europe - New study highlights LTE spectrum allocation and auction plans across the European Union

The impact of European spectrum harmonisation on LTE network deployments is now available for download.

A new study by GSMA Intelligence reveals that most countries in the European Union (EU27) are on track to meet deadlines set by the European Commission under its spectrum harmonisation initiative designed to speed up deployment of LTE-based mobile broadband across the region. However, a number of technical and political factors are likely to cause delays in LTE rollout in certain European markets.

The rollout of LTE in Europe is found to be highly dependent on the schedules set by governments and national regulators for the release of additional spectrum; the re-farming of existing frequency bands; and the phasing out of analogue TV services to free up spectrum in the so-called 'digital dividend' band. The study reveals that half of the EU27 countries have not yet put in place a timetable for the auction of digital dividend spectrum, while six countries are likely to fail to meet the Commission's 2012 target for the switchover from analogue TV services. In addition, half of the countries also do not have targets to auction spectrum in the IMT-extension band. However, most countries have removed technology and service restrictions on the two existing 2G (GSM) bands - 900 MHz and 1800 MHz - making them available for 3G-based services.

 

EU27 LTE spectrum implementation deadlines and auction timetable
Source: European Commission Digital Scoreboard 2011, GSMA Intelligence