Dear Minister,<\/p>\n
Mobile communications play a pivotal role in Europe’s economy and society as the key enabler for a wide\u00a0range of sectors and services that European citizens depend on. The arrival of 5G offers an opportunity\u00a0to build on this success with the potential to power a wide variety of new services and applications. The\u00a0fulfilment of this vision is entirely dependent on access to radio frequencies within the different bands\u00a0that make mobile communications possible. We are writing to you today to express our concerns about one of the EU pioneer bands for 5G.<\/p>\n
The 26 GHz band is one of the pioneer bands for 5G in Europe and, along with other higher frequencies,\u00a0will be essential to provide ultra-high capacity for innovative new 5G services. The use of these millimeter\u00a0wave frequencies will be a key part of future 5G services in Europe and globally. It is therefore of the\u00a0utmost importance that the harmonised technical conditions for the 26 GHz band in Europe allow the\u00a0ecosystem to develop and flourish, and align with other parts of the world to allow Europe to benefit
\nfrom global economies of scale.<\/p>\n
The European Electronic Communications Committee (ECC) is currently deliberating on their Decision for\u00a0use of the 26 GHz band for 5G. The most recent draft of this ECC Decision is proposing conditions that, if\u00a0accepted, will severely constrain use of the band for 5G in Europe. These include restrictive emissions\u00a0limits for mobile communications equipment, and other conditions that would constrain how 5G could\u00a0be deployed in the 26 GHz band by licensees. Such rules would prevent mobile operators from building
\nthe best possible 5G networks, and would de-incentivise the industry from building the types of dense\u00a0networksthat would enable the gigabitsociety. Further information about these technical conditions can\u00a0be found in Annex 1.<\/p>\n
In order to make 5G a success and enable the sector to develop into a healthy industry, the conditions of\u00a0use of the pioneer 26 GHz band should be as least restrictive as possible, and flexible enough to create a\u00a0ripe environment for growth and development. This is a principle that Europe has applied in the past for\u00a0many other frequency bands for mobile communications. Such an environment would incentivise\u00a0network roll-out, and provision of extremely high capacity, high data rates and high quality of services\u00a0for consumers.<\/p>\n
Moreover, such an investment friendly approach would allow Europe to compete globally with other\u00a0countries that are giving themselves the flexibility and conditions needed to make their industries leaders\u00a0in 5G. The US has taken a pragmatic approach to emissions limits for the 28 GHz band, and Korea and\u00a0Japan likewise, and other countries that are supporting the 26 GHz band, including in the Middle East and\u00a0China and other countries in APAC, are also favouring less restrictive conditions. Should Europe choose a
\nmore restrictive approach, as currently proposed, it will be placing itself at a significant disadvantage in\u00a0the global 5G race and hamper its ability to compete effectively with other countries and regions.<\/p>\n
We therefore urge you and your representatives at ECC to avoid over-restrictive technical conditions and\u00a0support a more pragmatic and investment friendly approach to the 26 GHz band in Europe that aligns\u00a0with other regions and avoids Europe falling behind. There is a unique opportunity at the moment to give\u00a0Europe the tools needed to be a global leader in the development of 5G, in order to transform our\u00a0economy and society and take advantage of the limitless possibilities it can offer.<\/p>\n
List of Signatories:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n