European Union member states have been given until 30 June 2014 to refarm the 2-GHz spectrum band for '4G' LTE services.
The airwaves in question – specifically, 1920-1980 MHz/2110-2170 MHz - are currently used for 3G UMTS services. The European Commission, which imposed the deadline on Monday, said this enforced liberalisation will free up 120 MHz of additional spectrum, providing the EU with twice the amount of bandwidth currently allocated in the U.S., for example.
"I want to see member states acting swiftly to change existing licences," said Digital Agenda commissioner Neelie Kroes, in a statement. "We all win from faster wireless connections in Europe."
The decision to mandate the refarming of 2 GHz expressly for mobile broadband is aimed at mitigating spectrum fragmentation, said the Commission, which can have negative repercussions for the availability of compatible devices.
In addition, the EU said it is also looking into future uses for unpaired spectrum in the 1900-1920 MHz and 2010-2025 MHz bands. These airwaves are also currently set aside for UMTS services but remain unused throughout the EU.
"Such an initiative will aim at ensuring efficient use of the unpaired bands that is most beneficial from an economic, social and environmental point of view," said the Commission, which may include applications other than terrestrial mobile broadband.
The move is in line with the EU's Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP), and gives member states another concrete deadline to meet.
Adopted in March, the RSPP's main objectives to 2020 include ensuring that at least 1,200 MHz of spectrum is available for wireless broadband, allowing spectrum trading throughout the EU in all harmonised bands, and fostering spectrum sharing.
Under the original programme, member states were required to liberalise 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2.5 GHz-2.69 GHz and 3.4 GHz-3.8 GHz for mobile broadband services by the end of the year. The Commission, along with member states, has pledged by mid-2013 to set out a plan for establishing an inventory to assess efficient spectrum use in the 400 MHz to 6 GHz range.
Monday's announcement sets another deadline, albeit further into the future, for the reallocation of more frequencies for high-speed mobile broadband.
"This extra spectrum for 4G in Europe means we can better meet the changing and growing demand for broadband," said Kroes.