EU Plans pan-European Mobile Broadband Network

The European Commission will urge the 27 European Union countries Wednesday to reserve a uniform slice of broadcast spectrum for a pan-European mobile broadband network, one that could enable flat-rate, international voice and data calling plans. Apparently, the proposal sets out technical guidelines for E.U. countries that choose to redeploy part of their low-frequency spectrum, a bandwidth that has been used exclusively by television broadcasters since the inception of the industry more than 50 years ago. Whether E.U. countries heed the advice of its executive body and lay the groundwork for a blocwide wireless market remains to be seen. But an architect of the plan and an analyst who follows the industry said they expected most E.U. countries to embrace the recommendation.