The European Commission (EC) has adopted technical rules on how the 900MHz and 1800MHz radio frequency bands should be used for 4G or LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and WiMax, to expand broadband reach in Europe.
The EU universal broadband program has a target to ensure that all Europeans have access to 30Mbps internet speeds by 2020 and 50% households have access to 100Mbps or higher.
The new rules affect the 900MHz and 1.8GHz bands and let GSM, UMTS and the 4G technologies to coexist. National regulators of the 27 EU member states have to adopt the new rules by 31 December this year to implement the regulations to enable the use of 4G mobile devices on 900 and 1,800 MHz radio frequencies.
While the 900MHz band’s signal propagation can be used to expand LTE coverage to rural areas, the 1800MHz band is believed to have the potential to make global LTE roaming a reality.
The US is also planning a similar initiative.
