Swedish Spectrum Decision Will Set Back Digitisation Progress

Reservation of Core Broadband Spectrum for Dedicated Public Safety Networks Will Result in Inefficient Use and Scarcity of Spectrum

1 December 2016, Brussels: The GSMA believes that the recent Swedish decision to reduce mobile access to the 700 MHz band will negatively impact the country’s digital future.

To date, access to mobile spectrum in Sweden has helped the country become a digital leader, and the GSMA strongly encourages the Swedish government to reconsider a decision that may put this progress at risk. Public safety networks are vital and must be supported. However, this need not, and should not, threaten the availability of affordable, widespread mobile broadband access for citizens and businesses.  

“Efforts to use part of the 700 MHz band’s uplink or downlink channels for public safety would reduce the amount available for mobile services which, in turn, can negatively impact the cost, coverage and capacity of mobile broadband,” said Afke Schaart, Head of Europe, GSMA. “Instead, exclusive spectrum for public safety services can and should be found outside of globally harmonised commercial mobile band plans.”

The GSMA urges the Swedish government to consider other options for awarding spectrum to the public safety networks. Such a decision would also be in line with the European Commission’s Implementing Decision on 700 MHz which, following the agreement of Member States, has chosen the centre gap (which sits between spectrum for the uplink and downlink) for other uses such as public safety, machine-to-machine and others.

Many European countries – such as Finland, France and Germany – have already made great strides in addressing growing data demand by making the whole 700 MHz band available for mobile broadband. The release of this harmonised spectrum for mobile broadband is key to spurring the deployment of 5G in Europe and guaranteeing that its citizens and businesses reap the greatest possible benefits from today’s digital economy.

-ENDS-

About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with almost 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences. 

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Media Contacts:
Olivier Lechien
PR Director, Europe
GSMA (Brussels)
+32 (0) 479 99 01 63
[email protected]

GSMA Press Office
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